Brad Stevens won’t win Coach of the Year, but plays like this are a good example of why he’d be a deserving recipient of the award.
First, the Boston Celtics lure Marc Gasol from the paint by stationing sweet-shooting Kelly Olynyk at the top of the key, and further the clear the lane by having Jae Crowder swoop through to the near corner. What makes this set work so well, though, is the Memphis Grizzlies expecting Marcus Smart to curl around a double-screen as opposed to slipping to the basket after rubbing off Avery Bradley at the elbow.
One perfect pass and acrobatic finish later, Boston has tied the score. And after Smart nailed the ensuing free throw, the Celtics had a lead they’d never relinquish for a crucial 95-92 win over the West’s second-best team – without Isaiah Thomas to boot.
At 27-36, Boston trails the Miami Heat by just one and-a-half games for eighth-place in the Eastern Conference. Given the team’s recently encouraging play, Stevens’ strategic acumen, and schedules of their competitors, let’s just say we wouldn’t be surprised if the largely anonymous Celtics snuck into the postseason.
[Vine via James Herbert]
