Stevens pushes Brown for better

WALTHAM — Some coaches are tougher on players they believe can handle the criticism. Think of Red Auerbach and his relationship with Bill Russell.

That also describes the ongoing exchange between Brad Stevens and Jaylen Brown. The Celtics coach has admitted his bar is set higher for the second-year forward, simply because Brown has set the bar so high for himself.

He wants to be the Celtic who guards the other team’s best scorer, while also scoring at a high rate himself. And now, with the playoffs beginning with today’s Game 1 against Milwaukee, Brown takes the floor as someone well on the way to becoming a complete player.

“We often use the phrase growth-oriented,” Stevens said before yesterday’s practice. “Nobody is more focused on getting better and the process of growth than Jaylen. Jaylen is easy to coach because he wants to be coached, he wants to be good. And he is really important to us. I really appreciate his mindset in that regard.”

But according to Brown, Stevens never actually said he was going to show a tougher kind of love.

“Brad’s never told me that, but it is what it is. I have a job to do, he has a job to do — we understand that,” said Brown. “So he’s trying to win games, I’m trying to win games. At the end of the day, that’s what a leader does. They lead everybody toward a common goal. So Brad Stevens is our coach, he’s our leader — in Brad we trust.”

Of what actually gets discussed, Brown added, “Pretty much just doing better. Just every time I talk to Brad, it’s always about what I could be doing better. And that’s fine. That’s what I want. I just want to get better and I just want to help the team, and that’s his job to bring the most out of each and everybody.

“So when you understand that, it don’t really matter what he says, because we’ve got the same goals. I want to win and I want to be the best I can be, and that’s what he wants to do too. So no matter really what he says, we’re on the same page if we understand that.”

Ready for roar

Marcus Morris’ only previous playoff experience was, as a member of the Pistons, a first-round sweep by the Cavaliers in 2016. He already knows that his first Garden playoff experience is going to be different. His twin brother, Washington’s Markieff, had some interesting perspective on the Celtics crowd from his role as an opponent last year.

“Biggest difference is I’m in Boston now,” he said. “I talked to my brother about playing here, and he said it’s real. He’s played in a lot of places, and he said Boston is probably the loudest place he’s played during the playoffs. Looking forward to that.

“I’m just looking forward to proving everybody wrong. Everybody has counted us out. This is about respect, and I feel we are not getting any respect.”

The “no respect” card is about to get an even bigger play on this C’s team.

“Personally I have a chip on my shoulder because I’m not with all the antics and all the talking, and counting somebody out before the game starts,” said Morris. “I’m about getting on the court and playing. All this other chit chat is not relevant, because no one has played the game yet.

“I’m going out there continuing to be me, continuing to be a bulldog, continuing to help my team do whatever it takes to win.”

Guarding the Freak

Morris will take his turn at guarding Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo today. The Bucks forward certainly poses a unique challenge for any defender.

“He’s a 7-footer or whatever he is, long arms,” said Morris. “Once he gets in the paint, it’s kind of hard to stop him because it’s just a bunch of up-fakes and stepthroughs. I think don’t give him any space, you have to step up on him.

“At the end of the day, it’s not an individual assignment. It has to be a team assignment. Everybody has to help out on him. I think that’s the way we can get the best results.”