Milestone no big deal for Stevens
CELTICS NOTEBOOK
CHICAGO — Brad Stevens now has a 6-10 postseason record — a substantial improvement over his first two years in the NBA playoffs — and is taking his first Celtics team to the conference semifinals.
But regardless of the improvement in the coach’s postseason fortunes, this is one scoreboard he doesn’t care about.
“I’m not defined by this stuff,” he said after last night’s 105-83 Game 6 win over the Bulls. “Certainly it’s meaningful for everyone in there, because I want them to experience the greatest highs of this. We’re not going to ride the emotional roller coasters of the lows, and we have perspective on the highs. They’re hard to accomplish, and other teams are out there playing their butts off too.”
But Gerald Green, whose surprise insertion into the starting lineup by Stevens was one of the moves that turned this series around, has a very good idea of why the C’s are where they are.
“Brad’s a genius,” said the swingman, who capped off his series with 16 points. “I said it, he’s one of the reasons why I came here. I’ve always heard about his really, really, really high IQ of knowing the game. He’s a genius. I do give him credit for some of the adjustments that he made this series but, at the same time, I give him credit for staying poised.
“Even after Game 2, he never lost faith in us,” said Green. “He never told us that we couldn’t win. I think we all believed that we could still win the series after Game 2 and we played like that after Game 2, from that point on.”
With a quck turnaround heading into tomorrow’s 1 p.m. start against Washington at the Garden, Stevens only had eyes for the next step — not the one he just took.
“Way I look at it, the franchise has made good progress and I haven’t got too caught up in the results. We try to stay the course in the day-to-day,” he said. “If that results in us winning games in the playoffs, whatever the case may be, there’s only one goal in Boston — the 17 banners above us. We won’t have a choice — we can only shoot for one thing there.”
Headed home
Isaiah Thomas was joined by the man who traded for him, Celtics president Danny Ainge, on a private flight to Sea-Tac Airport after last night’s game to attend the funeral today of the point guard’s younger sister, Chyna.
“Then I have to get him back to Boston and ready for (tomorrow’s) game,” Ainge said. “This is what we try to do with all of our players. These are very difficult, challenging times for Isaiah. I’ve been absolutely impressed by the way he’s been able to do what he’s done for us despite that.”
Avery Bradley, Thomas’ close friend and fellow Tacoma, Wash., native, had hoped to attend the funeral, but said he will now pass up the trip due to the timing of tomorrow’s game. He said his family will be there in his place.
“If I’m not able to be there I’m still gonna make sure I’m supporting him however I can to let him know that I’m here for him for this time,” Bradley said.
Like Ainge, Bradley continues to marvel at how well Thomas has been able to perform.
“I think it’s really hard. It says a lot about him,” said Bradley. “Around this time you just kind of want to be by yourself and with your family. He’s having to come in here and sometimes you don’t want to see people laughing or joking around. You just almost want everybody to feel like you, and be quiet. But I feel like he’s been handling it as best as anyone could, and we’ve been trying to be there for him. And just whenever he wants to talk, we’re here. I think that’s the best way to treat a situation like this.”
Above all, the team wanted Thomas to know that it would be there in spirit, said Jae Crowder.
“He didn’t ask us to come, but we wanted to be there,” he said. “We were hoping Atlanta would get that win (against Washington last night) to give us a few days, but he did come back and say, ‘Y’all just prepare. I’m gonna do my part and prepare. And once I get back, I’ll be ready to go.”