With 8.4 seconds left in overtime and Philadelphia ahead by one, 98-97, Celtics coach Brad Stevens again showed the basketball world why he is one of the premier coaches in the league. He designed a sideline play that had Marcus Morris lobbing a pass to Al Horford under the basket. Boston got the lead. Philly wouldn’t score again.
In the succeeding play, Horford would steal the ball from an inbound pass to Embiid and get fouled to seal the game at the free-throw line. Boston now has a commanding 3-0 lead and need just one more to return to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Image source: celticsblog.com
Stevens has been displaying his court magic not just throughout this season, but since he arrived in Boston. He has transformed a then-ragtag team to a championship contender, banking on the principles of solid defense. In fact, it’s the best in the whole NBA right now. And he’s reaping the fruits of his labor.
Last season, the Celtics succumbed to LeBron and the Cavs. This time around, they don’t have their best stars in Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, who are both nursing injuries. But the Celtics have unbelievably managed to continue winning with the superstar-less bunch of Jayson Tatum, Terry Rozier, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, and veteran swingman Al Horford.
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All this is because of Brad Stevens. If there were questions before the ongoing series on who’s most deserving of the award this year, those are now gone. Stevens is hands-down the 2018 NBA coach of the year.
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