The Celtics are reeling. They’ve gone 1-5 since the All-Star break and face chemistry issues.
How much blame does Boston coach Brad Stevens deserve for the team’s struggles?
Celtics president Danny Ainge on 98.5 The Sports Hub, as transcribed by Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports Boston:“There’s blame to share for everybody, but I will say this: He’s the least, by far, of anybody that there is to blame,” Ainge said of Stevens.
“Because I know that Brad is going to be prepared, and I know that Brad is putting in the work to do whatever he can to try to help this team and fix this team. So, that is the very bottom of the rung.”
“I know that he takes more responsibility than anybody, in my opinion, as to the success and lack of success,” Ainge added. “He takes ownership in the things he needs to do better.
“Anyway, he’s the least of all the problems that we have on our team right now.”
Ainge could have easily left it at, “There’s blame to share for everybody.” His strong support for Stevens seems like a message to Celtics players to get in line behind the coach.
I wonder how that goes over in the locker room.
Stevens remains a highly respected coach. He did an excellent job in Boston the previous four years.
But, at Butler and with the Celtics previously, he has largely succeeded by overachieving with moderate talent. He develops strong equalitarian-leaning game plans, communicates them well and gets his players to buy in.
The challenge in Boston this year is different.
The Celtics are loaded with at least theoretical talent. Kyrie Irving is a star. Gordon Hayward was a star before he got hurt. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier played big roles on a team that reached the conference finals without Irving and Hayward last year then have had to take backseats this year. Al Horford and Marcus Smart can’t be ignored, and the way he played until lately, neither could Marcus Morris.
Irving’s leadership has been turbulent. His impending free agency casts a cloud over everything. Rozier and Morris are also in contract years.
It’s a lot for a coach to manage. Stevens not totally flourishing in this situation is not necessarily an indictment of him. This is new ground for him, and he can learn on the job.
But it does seem Stevens must coach better for Boston to realize its potential.