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Brad Stevens For Coach Of The Year!

By Nick Englander

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Yes, this post will be controversial. I understand this. But Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics seriously desrves cosnideration to be coach of the year as he has done the best coaching job of anybody this entire season.

Yes, Steve Kerr took the Warriors to another level. Mike Budenholzer took the Hawks from an oft-injured group that plays poor defense to become the best team in the East (by record). However, Brad Stevens did a better coaching job than anybody this year.

Apr 5, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr watches from the sideline during the first half against the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Brad inherited a team of misfits, one that could not do anything consistently, and turned them into a playoff team. Stevens had to deal with two trades and a supposed “season-ending injury” that most in Boston considered to lower the talent level of the team significantly.

But Brad used this opportunity to use a team that fit his system much better than Rajon Rondo or Jeff Green and get that many more wins, eventually clinching a playoff spot.

But even still, this Celtics roster isn’t any more talented than that of the Charlotte Hornets or the Indiana Pacers, but they have a coach that has caused them wins other coaches haven’t.

Apr 12, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens watches from the sideline as they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second half at TD Garden. The Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 117-78. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

A perfect example of Brad Stevens’ masterful coaches occur at the end of this year’s game against the Utah Jazz. Recognizing the Jazz would switch everything and that they put their star defensive center, Rudy Gobert, on the ball, Brad called a play to get the ball into Tyler Zeller against a smaller Rodney Hood.

Here’s an analysis by Youtube Channel BBallBreakdown of the play:

Brad Stevens has had to deal with roster turnover, massive amounts of injuries and a severe lack of talent amongst the entirety of previous teams, but he has finally got a team at his disposal that can work with his system (thanks again to Danny Ainge). When the Celtics head to the playoffs next week, it should be interesting how Brad coaches against the best of the best; if this season is any indicator, he should be fine.

For all these reasons and more, C’s fans should push for Brad as Coach of the Year.

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