BOSTON (AP) — Brad Stevens didn’t know the Boston Celtics would find themselves among the NBA’s top teams in the last week of the regular season.
The Celtics president of basketball operations also never discounted the possibility before the season, despite every reason those outside of the team’s facility parroted about why it would be a bridge year following Jayson Tatum’s ruptured Achilles tendon injury and the offseason departures of Jrue Holiday,
Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford.
Yet, the Celtics entered Tuesday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets two wins away from clinching the No. 2 seed in the East and as a legitimate NBA title contender.
That doesn’t mean Stevens is ready to make any predictions. Far from it. He’s content following the same one day at a time mantra that has driven him his entire basketball life, from the coaching sidelines and now in the front office.
“I feel the exact same as I did at the beginning, I really feel that way normally,” Stevens said. “When we get into the playoffs, it’ll be the same thing. It’s one game at a time. I don’t think in terms of the big picture as far as this individual team. I just think, I know that we can play.”
He’s also watched the remaining players that constitute his once-underestimated roster find individual new gears that have contributed to their collective success.
With Tatum out to start the season, Jaylen Brown seized on the opportunity to be the No. 1 option and leader, taking his game to new levels on the offensive and defensive end. It’s added up to him achieving career-high averages in points (28.7), rebounds (7.0) and assists (5.2).
It’s also gained him entry into a crowded MVP conversation. More than that, since Tatum’s return on March 6, Brown’s play has taken some of the pressure off Tatum as he’s worked his way back into form. The same is true for defensive stalwart Derrick White.
The result has been a successful return for Tatum, whose comfort and confidence have grown exponentially over the past month. He had scored 20 or more points in five straight games entering Tuesday.
“I’ve seen us rise and meet challenges and I know this team is looking forward to the next one,” Stevens said. “As you get into this time of the year and get into the playoffs, everything’s hard and the other teams are really good. See where it all stacks up, but I’m going to continue to not put a ceiling on us.”
As is his style, Stevens has stayed mostly in the background this season, with Tuesday marking his first comments with reporters since Tatum’s return. He said they never truly entertained the thought of Tatum returning this season until around the trade deadline.
“He was in a pretty good spot physically and from the standpoint of his strength,” Stevens said. “And then it’s just a matter of reconditioning and getting your confidence back in a lot of ways and playing and getting back on the court.”
What’s also been clear to Stevens is that he has a coach in Joe Mazzulla, who along with his staff, are putting this team in the best position to achieve. While Brown has been the biggest catalyst to how this team has overachieved, the improvement of players such as Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Neemias Queta, Jordan Walsh and rotation addition Baylor Scheierman has also helped.
Queta in particular went from a fourth-string center at one point earlier in his career to the starter this for the Celtics, one of the most improved players in the league and among its top performing big men.
It garnered Mazzulla high consideration for coach of the year honors, praise that he repeatedly eschewed while deferring his players and assistants.
Stevens, who surprisingly elevated him to the job after Ime Udoka was suspended, said Mazzulla is worthy of all the compliments he’s gotten.
“They all, players, coaches, and everybody else that are up for all these awards, whether they want them or not, they certainly all deserve it,” Stevens said.
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