Gerald Wallace: Celtics Feeding Off Brad Stevens' Energy

Gerald Wallace: Celtics feeding off Brad Stevens' energy





Photo by: Matt Stone (file)
Celtics coach Brad Stevens sees the team's late run as a product of everyone filling their role.


Sunday, March 15, 2015 PrintEmail3 Comments
By:  Mark Murphy


With their 93-89 victory in Indianapolis, the Celtics gained on everyone in the chase for the seventh and eighth playoff seeds yesterday. They pulled even with the ninth-place Heat, and within half a game of the eighth seed, Charlotte.

The Pacers, a hot team with seven straight wins prior to running into the Celtics, are suddenly only a game ahead.

But Celtics coach Brad Stevens refuses to regard this picture in any size beyond the next possession, let alone the next game. He insists that “playing the right way” is good enough when it comes to where this recent pattern will lead.

Never mind that his team is feeding on the possibilities.

“To me that approach is tried and true. You do your role as well as you possibly can, and become a superstar in that role,” said Stevens. “You give it everything you’ve got for the good of the team, then good things usually happen. Certainly it’s tough to lose, and losing can have a snowball effect. But our biggest thing is to continue to play well.”

The Celtics are, indeed, partially benefitting from the sorry state of the Eastern Conference. But they are also starting to collect signature wins — Portland and Indiana on the road, Memphis, Atlanta just before the all-star break.

“Every win is key,” said Evan Turner. “All of the guys have got a lot of valuable experience, and to be in this position now is great. Hopefully we can finish out strong. To beat certain teams and to grind out certain games against a team like Memphis is a big testament. The way we’re playing with toughness is a key.”

Gerald Wallace credits Stevens for fueling this late spark.

“They’re feeding off each other and they’re really feeding off Brad, his energy, his focus,” said the veteran forward. “And with his energy, now they’re feeding off each other and playing off each other. And winning helps all of that. Once you start winning and believing in each other, it makes things that much better. In close games they don’t get bothered. Teams make a run, they don’t get bothered. They stay poised and focused in the game, and it’s carrying us right now. It’s put us in the perfect situation."




bob




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Celtics world seems so rosy right now.  None of us could be blamed if we kept looking over our shoulders for signs of more sobering times.  But, if there's one person who gives the Celtics the best chance of moving forward with no more than a minimum of backsliding, it's Brad.  His energy is impressive, but so are his personnel skills, his game plans, and his Xs and Os during timeouts and during other game action.

Go Brad, and go Celtics!

Sam