NBA seasons often are trial by fire, and it’s clear the Boston Celtics still are figuring themselves out. The Celtics have shown flashes of brilliance early in the campaign, including Friday’s thrilling overtime win over the Toronto Raptors. But they’ve also turned in some flat-out duds, including the recent West Coast road trip and Saturday’s 98-86 loss to the Utah Jazz at TD Garden. The Jazz were the early aggressors in the teams’ final regular-season meeting of the 2018-19 set, but the Celtics punched back in the second quarter, effectively stealing back the momentum. That juice only lasted so long, however, as Utah stomped on Boston in the... NESN.com
Tag: brad
Brad Stevens Sends Reality Check To Celtics Amid Lackluster Preseason
Brad Stevens isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. While the Boston Celtics head coach never hesitates to credit his players when it’s due, he also doesn’t shy away from criticism when the C’s aren’t playing to the level they’re capable of. The latter largely has been the case for the C’s this preseason, which continued Tuesday night when Boston fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers 102-95 at TD Garden. Following the loss, which dropped the Celtics to 1-2 in the preseason, Stevens didn’t mince words when assessing his team’s play of late. Stevens’ words are warranted. While you shouldn’t put too much stock in the preseas... NESN.com
Jayson Tatum’s Favorite Brad Stevens Moment Highlights Celtics Coach’s Genius
During a recent appearance on the Ringer’s “Bill Simmons Podcast,” Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum was asked when he realized just how good of a coach Brad Stevens was. Tatum didn’t miss a beat. “Right away,” he told Simmons. But Tatum’s favorite example of Stevens’ coaching brilliance didn’t come until very late in the season: the now-famous inbound play to Al Horford in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers. The play Stevens concocted sprung Horford free for a go-ahead layup with 5.5 seconds remaining in overtime, helping vault Boston to a 101-98 win and a 3-0 series lead that al... NESN.com
Brad Stevens Had Simple Message For Terry Rozier After Eric Bledsoe Scuffle
BOSTON — Brad Stevens keeps it short and sweet. The Boston Celtics head coach has a knack for communicating with his players, whether it’s getting more out of them in clutch situations or helping them keep their heads in the game when the moment might get the better of them. Such was the case in the third quarter of the C’s 92-87 win over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 5 of their first-round NBA playoff series. Celtics guard Terry Rozier and Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe have been exchanging words all series, and the rivalry boiled over when the two got into a scuffle that saw Bledsoe get hit with a flagrant foul and Rozier
Bruins’ Brad Marchand Fined For Cross-Checking Flyers’ Andrew MacDonald
Brad Marchand’s paycheck just took another hit, albeit a small one. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced Monday that the Boston Bruins winger has been fined $ 5,000 for cross-checking Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Andrew MacDonald in the second period of Sunday’s game at Wells Fargo Center. This is the second time in a month Marchand has been fined, as the All-Star forward was docked $ 2,000 for embellishment in early March. Marchand also was suspended for five games back in January for elbowing New Jersey Devils forward Marcus Johansson. MacDonald appeared to get away with a cross-check on Marchand in Sunday’s game, which ... NESN.com
Bruins Forward Brad Marchand Day-To-Day With Upper Body Injury
The Boston Bruins are regrouping after star forward Brad Marchand was scratched for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks due to an upper body injury. The Bruins are entering a tough point in the season with a number of injuries and a difficult schedule. With Charlie McAvoy and Patrice Bergeron out with lower body injuries, Marchand is another B’s playmaker that the team cannot afford to lose for long. NESN’s Billy Jaffe was in studio to give his take on the Bruins’ game plan moving forward without a few key players. For Jaffe’s thoughts, check out the “NESN Sports Today” video above, presented by People’s United Bank. < ... NESN.com
Bruins’ Brad Marchand Named To NHL All-Star Team For Second Straight Season
The NHL released its 2018 All-Star Game rosters Wednesday, and Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand will represent the Atlantic Division for the second consecutive season. Marchand, who was named an All-Star for the first time last season, leads the Bruins in scoring this season with 17 goals and 23 assists for 40 points in 32 games. He is among the NHL’s leaders in several categories, including points per game (fourth), goals per game (eighth) and plus/minus (ninth).Marchand, a third-round pick in 2006, is coming off a 2016-17 season in which he totaled career-highs in goals (39), assists (46) and points (85). ... NESN.com