Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics
Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics
Brad Stevens spent eight seasons as the head coach of the Boston Celtics. He took control of 636 regular-season games, winning 354. Stevens also guided Boston through 78 playoff games, securing a win on 38 occasions.
Under Stevens tutelage, Boston went from a rebuilding team fresh off trading away Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to an Eastern Conference powerhouse with two young superstars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
There’s no denying that Stevens was an elite coach.
During a recent conversation with Heavy on Sports, former Celtics forward Evan Turner provided some insight into what made Stevens so special.
“He just has a great mind overall, just even how he draws up plays and ATOs (After Time Out plays),” Turner said, via Casino Groups. “He puts guys in position to be successful. I remember my first year with him (playing), he gave the team a conversation. He was like, ‘Hey, last year we only won like 20-something games. But he broke it down. He’s like, in 60 of those games, we had like 20 turnovers, and only like eight fast break points. And we lost the games by this.'”
Turner continued.
“And he is like, ‘Hey, if we move these numbers up to this. That means we’ll win 16, 17 more games and we’ll be in the playoffs.’ …Like he took a mid-major to two final fours, like you don’t really have your choice of the pickings. And then, you know, when he came to the NBA, he had to build up his team before Boston landed in a playoff spot and obviously.”
Turner Is Also A Fan Of Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla
Stevens wasn’t the only person to receive praise from Turner during the conversation. The former forward-turned-coach also shared some insight into what makes Joe Mazzulla such an elite coaching talent.
“That culture, that mentality, obviously Joe being who he is, his upbringing, the Bob Huggins background,” Turner said. “He is tough-minded, but I think that sharks swim with sharks, and that’s why Brad brought him on for his staff and then had no hesitancy to give Joe that job once all that stuff went down.”
He continued.
“Joe’s a killer. I think you’re gonna see a lot of success from him. I think one thing that shocks you is that I’d probably be bragging about it, but those two (Mazzulla and Brad Stevens) stay humble, stay quiet, and they’ve got a bigger picture. Joe wants another championship. Brad wants to win everything.”
Celtics Are Overachieving This Season
With Stevens now in the front office as Boston’s President of Basketball Operations, and Mazzulla leading the way as head coach, the Celtics have put together an impressive season.
Even without Jayson Tatum, who missed most of the season with an Achilles injury, Boston still finds itself sitting second in the Eastern Conference. They’re viewed as a genuine threat to come out of the East this season.
There’s a level of continuity between Stevens and Mazzulla. Their vision for the team appears to be synced. As such, the Celtics have unearthed multiple low-cost hidden gems this season.
It’s a great time to be a Celtics fan, and Turner is right, Boston is lucky to have Stevens and Mazzulla overseeing everything.