The Boston Celtics weren’t too inspiring on the court against the Chicago Bulls. But sometimes events transpire that are bigger than the game of basketball. Such was the case Thursday, when head coach Brad Stevens missed the Celtics’ game at United Center to visit former Butler player Andrew Smith, who has battling cancer for two years and recently was readmitted to an Indiana hospital. How much did making that trip mean to Stevens? According to assistant coach Jay Larranaga, the Celtics head coach informed his staff 30 minutes before a noon team meeting he needed to leave immediately and visit Smith. “He makes it very clear to our players...
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Brad Stevens Sees Reasons For Optimism In Celtics’ Loss To Trail Blazers
by Zack Cox on Sun, Nov 23, 2014 at 10:39PM BOSTON — Brad Stevens wasn’t hanging his head Sunday after his Celtics dropped their fifth game in six tries. Because although Boston ultimately unraveled in a 94-88 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, its head coach saw something from his team that has been conspicuously absent this season: actual, real, NBA-quality defense. For the better part of three quarters, the Celtics smothered the high-powered Blazers, who came into TD Garden ranked sixth in the NBA in scoring and had been held to fewer than 100 points in just three of their first 12 games. A 10-0 Portland run to open the