OT: Not even one COY vote for Brad Stevens ?!!!?

[Dogdeacon]

I think Stevens has a lot in common with Belichick (and they have become friends). He builds teams in part based on having interchangeable parts and guys who can fill multiple roles. He also prepares and adapts as well as anyone, and those multi-dimensional players are critical to his ability to adjust.
The Patriots are the same. The C's got Horford, because they can take advantage of all he does, in so many facets of the game. They drafted Brown because his IQ is very high and so was his athleticism. PF at Cal and they made him a SG...sort of. But one who can defend multiple positions. Smart, another guy who defies categorization. Nominally, he's a PG, yet we know he'll be guarding Lebron quite a bit. Tatum has shown some great ball skills for a guy his size. I was not at all surprised when they drafted Semi, because he's exactly their kind of player. In two years, I wouldn't be surprised if the grab Dedrick Lawson.

They won't get Ayton, but they'd love to have him. Depending on where they pick, they could grab Bagley, who has a little Al Horford in his game, or Luka Doncic a giant PG or Jaren Jackson, 6'11" guy who can step outside. They have two picks this year under most lottery scenarios. Priority 1 is a replacement for the aging Horford.

The Celtics have to get very lucky in this year's draft and have Lakers pick land exactly at 2-5, otherwise they are out of the lottery. Most likely next year they are looking at a 2019 lottery pick. The 'aging' currently 31-year old Al Horford, hopefully has 2-3 years left at top form, but you are right they generally need a all-star caliber big man to replace him vs the rest of their roster spots that are seemingly stacked. Not sure what they project out of Theis or Semi or Yabusele long-term but Celtics hoping one of them is a poor man's Draymond PF type, that guy could gradually take some of Horford's offensive and defensive responsibilities. Yes they ultimately need a rim protector, they could keep doing that on the cheap ala Baynes and previously Amir Johnson. It'll be really interesting to see what they do with their last high draft picks as they'll have much more definitive roster needs and the draft is much more difficult and random when you are drafting for need vs Best Available. Sometimes you think your need is one thing and it is really another (see Fultz, Markelle).

 

[champs99and04]

It isn't as if Casey wasn't a deserving winner. Most of the other guys would have been fine picks as well. There are a lot of really good coaches in the NBA.

Whoever voted for Doc Rivers must have had a political interest. Same with Stan Van Gundy.

Kerr is a guy who oddly doesn't seem to get enough credit. When you watch them play you see a team that has been coached; coached so well that the regular season becomes a lot of maintenance work. Obviously his job is easy now that Durant is in town, but they kind of re-invented basketball with their off-ball screening and cutting between guards and wings.

 

[auror]

The Celtics have to get very lucky in this year's draft and have Lakers pick land exactly at 2-5, otherwise they are out of the lottery.

Basically 4% chance of Lakers top 3 pick, but they keep #1 which is a 1.1% chance, so 2.9% chance for the Celtics to get the Lakers pick at #2 or #3. Lakers can't be at #s 4 or 5 since they finished outside of the top 5.

Somehow I don't think NBA coaches are on Reddit a lot nor do they know what a vine is, yet the ATO praise is ubiquitous and I'm certain the coaches or their assistants use the internet to source or scout for ATO plays.

Their staffs and other media members certainly are on Reddit. It's the largest basketball forum on the planet. This stuff proliferates around. Imagine this scenario: Video guy says, "Hey Stan, did you see this Stevens video on Reddit?" Stan Van Gundy: "F#(% that Stevens. He's not even that good"

 

[Edward Sargent]

Fellow coaches threw the donut at Brad in COY voting. No Hayward. Lose Kyrie and finish 2nd in East. I'm a Knicks fan and I don't get it. Not one of 29 other guys.

I would take him before any coach.

Wall Street J had a good article about the four best teams starting out this year making it to the NBA finals being Boston, Cleveland Gold St and Houston. They featured the reasoning behind each and the only reason they listed for Boston is Brad Stevens

 

[HuskyHawk]

Wall Street J had a good article about the four best teams starting out this year making it to the NBA finals being Boston, Cleveland Gold St and Houston. They featured the reasoning behind each and the only reason they listed for Boston is Brad Stevens

If that was the only reason, for Boston, that's pretty flimsy. With a healthy Hayward and Irving, they had the most talented team in the East. There is nothing surprising about the Celtics being in the conference final, except that they managed it with no Hayward all year, and with no Kyrie for the last couple of months and with injuries to Smart, Rozier and Brown in the playoffs. That is pretty freaking remarkable.

 

[intlzncster]

He didn’t get votes because he’s black. Period.

Brad Stevens so hood

 

[intlzncster]

I think Stevens has a lot in common with Belichick (and they have become friends). He builds teams in part based on having interchangeable parts and guys who can fill multiple roles. He also prepares and adapts as well as anyone, and those multi-dimensional players are critical to his ability to adjust.
The Patriots are the same. The C's got Horford, because they can take advantage of all he does, in so many facets of the game. They drafted Brown because his IQ is very high and so was his athleticism. PF at Cal and they made him a SG...sort of. But one who can defend multiple positions. Smart, another guy who defies categorization. Nominally, he's a PG, yet we know he'll be guarding Lebron quite a bit. Tatum has shown some great ball skills for a guy his size. I was not at all surprised when they drafted Semi, because he's exactly their kind of player. In two years, I wouldn't be surprised if the grab Dedrick Lawson.

Those types of players appear to be ideal for the way Stephens coaches, but it's Ainge buying the groceries. Ainge is the builder. I'm sure he kicks around ideas with Brad, but his paws are all over it and he makes the final call.

The ship on the Laker pick pretty much sailed unfortunately. Such a strong draft too.

 

[TheChamps990411]

A

and lebron falls off

Or leaves for L.A. which i think he will. PHilly and Bos should own the east post LeBron with the edge going to Bos because of Stevens.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Brad Stevens so hood

Why does being black make him “hood?” Triggered

 

[Adios]

Dwayne Casey just got fired...

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Dwayne Casey just got fired...

Regular season award. Being the 1 seed and getting swept in the conference semifinals is a bad look

 

[Mr. French]

Yikes to Casey...

But with Stevens, I think it might be as simple as today’s day and age (looking at you ESPN) early-hypes EVERYONE.

He’s continued to prove he’s REALLY good, and as far as being young and on the rise, he’s as good a coach prospect there is, so I get the hype. It’s deserved.

But it’s also probably true that he gets credit now for every single thing being “genius” because that’s the narrative and bobble heads in the media usually don’t want to think their own thoughts.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Yikes to Casey...

But with Stevens, I think it might be as simple as today’s day and age (looking at you ESPN) early-hypes EVERYONE.

He’s continued to prove he’s REALLY good, and as far as being young and on the rise, he’s as good a coach prospect there is, so I get the hype. It’s deserved.

But it’s also probably true that he gets credit now for every single thing being “genius” because that’s the narrative and bobble heads in the media usually don’t want to think their own thoughts.

It's fun to ____ on the media for everything, but I think anyone being remotely objective would conclude that he's - at worst - one of the five best coaches in the NBA right now. He also didn't come up in the NBA fraternity so it doesn't surprise me that there's some pettiness and resentment from (lesser) coaches who did. I mean, Doc Rivers getting votes is a joke.

 

[Mr. French]

It's fun to ____ on the media for everything, but I think anyone being remotely objective would conclude that he's - at worst - one of the five best coaches in the NBA right now. He also didn't come up in the NBA fraternity so it doesn't surprise me that there's some pettiness and resentment from (lesser) coaches who did. I mean, Doc Rivers getting votes is a joke.

Totally agree with all of that.

I think that’s why, on a message board where things can get lost in translation, I was hesitant to even voice that.

But I think there’s definitely an element of him being “anointed” a “genius” that must bother other coaches, warranted or not.

And the way things work nowadays, he’s forever an Uber genius until the entire narrative changes and he becomes a choker or failure.

There’s very little in between, it seems.

It only became super evident after I watched some videos and articles that praised his x and o stuff as though he was the first guy to draw up a screen the screener, then the post game blonde asked Tatum about how Stevens is such a genius and how does he empower them...stuff I’m pretty sure she had as bullet pointed buzz words.

It’s not that he’s NOT great, it’s just that everything has to be overdone to the thousandth degree.

 

[champs99and04]

@Mr. French perfect example is the technical he got in game four. Everyone immediately wondered if it was a calculated move to inspire the team. It turned out he isn't a big believer in that.

When it came to Ollie, the opposite was true. Every time we didn't get a call it was because of Ollie's inability to work the refs. There is the tendency to view every micro action through the lens of an independent opinion.

I do think he's a special coach, though. Between what he did at Butler and what he's doing now in the NBA, it wouldn't be a surprise if he ended up one of the greatest ever.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Totally agree with all of that.

I think that’s why, on a message board where things can get lost in translation, I was hesitant to even voice that.

But I think there’s definitely an element of him being “anointed” a “genius” that must bother other coaches, warranted or not.

And the way things work nowadays, he’s forever an Uber genius until the entire narrative changes and he becomes a choker or failure.

There’s very little in between, it seems.

It only became super evident after I watched some videos and articles that praised his x and o stuff as though he was the first guy to draw up a screen the screener, then the post game blonde asked Tatum about how Stevens is such a genius and how does he empower them...stuff I’m pretty sure she had as bullet pointed buzz words.

It’s not that he’s NOT great, it’s just that everything has to be overdone to the thousandth degree.

I think it’s important that he an Ainge are in lock step. They share the vision. They agree on the guys needed to make it happen.

I suspect that half the coaches in the league have to make the best of the Alphabet soup they have as a roster. I happen to think that Stevens is probably a notch above most of them to begin with, but his alignment with Ainge takes it further.

 

[Mr. French]

I think it’s important that he an Ainge are in lock step. They share the vision. They agree on the guys needed to make it happen.

I suspect that half the coaches in the league have to make the best of the Alphabet soup they have as a roster. I happen to think that Stevens is probably a notch above most of them to begin with, but his alignment with Ainge takes it further.

That’s another aspect I was going to bring up, but didn’t need to go too far. I’m totally onboard as to how good he is, so I didn’t need to continue, but I totally agree.

That’s one factor that greatly assists his ability to be as good as he is. I bet there’s jealousy and envy really, because a lot of these coaches are really good, certainly think they are, and wouldn’t mind switching places or having other factors work in their favor as they do with Stevens.

Less wordy version: so many factors involved, but the dude is a stud.