Stephen A. Smith Calls Out Brad Stevens As Celtics Continue To Struggle Smith isn't convinced in Stevens' ability to be a motivational leader

Stephen A. Smith Calls Out Brad Stevens As Celtics Continue To Struggle

Smith isn't convinced in Stevens' ability to be a motivational leader


NESN by Sean T. McGuire

Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics have followed up their train wreck of a month-long stretch with a multi-vehicle car crash.

The Celtics blew a 24-point third-quarter lead against the previous 12-17 New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday. For now, it will be considered Boston’s “worst loss of the season” until the C’s overwrite it. After all, it’s been a campaign where there have been plenty of candidates.

It also was Boston’s second defeat in three games after a string of 10 losses in 15 games from mid-January to mid-February. There are an extensive number of individuals worthy of blame.

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, for one, admitted he hasn’t built a championship-caliber team. That’s true. But ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith took it a step further and threw in Boston’s head coach right beside him.

“I have to look at Brad Stevens because, listen I like Brad Stevens, I think he is an exceptional basketball mind,” Smith said Monday during an episode of ESPN’s “First Take.”

“… But in the end, when you have a star like Jayson Tatum — and make no mistake about it, ladies and gentleman, that brother is a star, Jayson Tatum is a star, and guess what, so is Jaylen Brown — the bottom line is you should be better than a .500 team,” Smith continued.

Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens
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Smith expressed that while he considers Stevens among the best in terms of his on-court IQ, the eighth-year coach has not alleviated any doubt when it comes to his ability as a leader.

“It’s up to Brad Stevens to figure that out. And when I look at Brad Stevens, here’s what I see: I see a guy who knows the game of basketball and can coach his butt off. My question is the motivational skills that he has available to him in his arsenal,” Smith said. “Are you the kind of guy who can galvanize the troops and maximize the potential around you?

” … It’s something about you, as a coach when you shove aside the X’s and O’s — because everyone knows what the other is doing — that’s able to peel something out from inside of you and say ‘OK, I’m gonna maximize the potential, potential you did not even know you had.’ That is the element I have not seen from Brad Stevens.”

It certainly is fair criticism seeing how the Celtics, as Smith noted, have a pair of players in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum that could each be granted NBA All-Star selections. So while the Celtics have battled injuries with Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart, specifically, and while even Ainge himself won’t blame Stevens, Smith isn’t sure how long that mindset will last.

“I have not seen that (motivational difference) yet, and as a result, I think you’re gonna hear a lot of noise about Brad Stevens if this stuff continues in Boston with these guys struggling,” Smith said. “You’re going to hear a lot of people talking about ‘Why have we raved about Brad Stevens so much?’ They’re going to be asking that question. Fair or unfair. You got Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. This is the sport of basketball. You should not be a .500 team with two studs like that.”


The 15-15 Celtics will return to the floor Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks.

112288

I think he's right!

I have always thought so.

112288

If this came from someone other than Stephen A, I might give it some thought.

In truth, if it came from someone other than Stephen A, I might actually read it.

NY

May I remind you, you said the same thing about Smith when the rumors started way back that Doc was leaving Boston for the LA CLipper's after the Pierce KG trade!

LOL

However there is a lot of truth to his comments that I share. All NBA coaches know all the X's and O's and they all know basketball strategy. It is another to pick a strategy that complements the talent you have on your team so you get the most out of it.

I do not think Brad can take any team beyond a certain level, meaning to the NBA Finals and win. It is just my gut feel and has proven out in his college coaching career.

112288

Not sure why my post printed twice

112288,

The main difference between Brad's College coaching career and his Pro Career regarding making it to the Finals is in college, he took a virtually unknown team with little or no talent to the finals only to run into Duke buzz saw and some other team I can't remember...and almost won both. Now, to date, we haven't been able to get past the ECF and this year is probably going to end far before then if things continue as they are currently. Our season might end after 72 games this year.

The Celtics are a far different animal and are professional. Danny knows what he's doing here with Brad. Now, everyone does reach a point, which no one really knows, where you have to stop and take a look at where you are. Steven A., in his infinite wisdom, is reached his inflection point with the Celtics and Brad Stevens this season and is poking the bear. He may be on time, too early or too late but he is perfectly within his rights to make an(y) observation.

He echoes a lot of the things we've been bantering around here throughout this slide. And let's make this clear. We're in a downward slide, not treading water. When the TOR's and WAS's of the East are on streaks of 5+games, we're sliding down the greased pole. I like Steven A. He clearly satisfies and, IMHBAO, exceeds the "E" in E.S.P.N. I don't think anyone will deny that. You may not like what he says all the time, but he is entertaining. He's perfect right where his is at. And I'm sure he is laughing all the way to the bank.

Now the good news is, the PHI's and the MIL's of the world are not fairing as well as the middle section of the East during this stretch, barring ourselves, so no one is really losing traction per se at the moment, but if a team continues to keep losing or even playing .500 ball for much longer in the East, they will find themselves in 12th place in a hurry, in quicksand and with no way out.

I used to equate Brad's two careers, but I've begun to separate the two lately. Brad knows what he has to do. He knows his past and I can assure you he knows his shortcomings. All Celtics are going to have to rise to right this ship...players, coaches and management. And when the Celtics do capture their 18th banner, Brad will probably get far more out of it than the players because he has to shed his own demons and conquer them.

db

Actually, the more I look at this, Steven A. is being a little light and might actually be calling out Danny.

Steven A. knows the relationship between Brad and Danny is pretty tight. And if Danny supports and defends Brad like he does, the finger is actually pointing at Danny, not Brad. DOH!!

db

I might be inclined to cut Stephen A(sshole) Smith a little slack if he's talking about free agency and stuff, he seems to know a lot of people, but on basketball matters? Nah.


Bob


.

Fake news. SAS is a bloviator, supreme edition.

I'll waste no more time on such nonsense.