Celtics streak past the Jazz as Brad Stevens’ case for coach of the year gains momentum

Brad Stevens got a nice COY boost in the Boston Celtics’ victory against the Utah Jazz

Jaylen Brown’s three-pointer with 0.3 seconds left on the clock was the perfect ending to a seemingly improbable west coast trip: four wins at Portland, Sacramento, Phoenix, and Utah, capping off five wins in a row and seven of their last ten.

Not only did Brown’s jumper help the Boston Celtics clinch home court advantage for the first round or make up some much-needed ground on the first-place Toronto Raptors, but it seemingly made the Brad Stevens for coach of the year conversation relevant again. It is almost a mystery to me how Brad Stevens hasn’t been a favorite for COTY the whole season, but this past road stand seems like perfect testament to the true coaching ability of Brad Stevens.

It almost seems like the Celtics thrive when cast as underdogs. This past road stand the Celtics were undermanned to say the least: Morris, Irving, Smart, Horford, and Brown all missed some time. The Celtics stuck with the Jazz most of the game, controlling the game at many points until the Jazz exploded half way through the third quarter when their lead ballooned to eleven.

Through the entirety of the game it just seemed like the Jazz wanted to sneak out of the stadium with a win, yet the Celtics weren’t going away and matched the Jazz every time they started pulling away. The Celtics win, as improbable it may seem, is indicative of the Celtics season as a whole. The team that exchanged their status as an overachiever for that of a contender found themselves stuck as the former.

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Injuries have held back what should have been an exceptional season from the Celtics. Even with an impressive resume of wins against the leagues top teams and an even more impressive record, it seems like the Celtics still are stuck as gritty, over-achievers. And quite frankly, it appears that Brad Stevens wouldn’t have it any other way. Despite a plethora of key players being absent, Brad Stevens found a way to outwork and out-execute the streaking Jazz. The way Stevens empowers his players is evident through that win. Players that have been overlooked or undervalued stepped up to the plate.

Shane Larkin, a player who was having difficulty finding minutes in the NBA and ended up in Spain for a while, now finds himself playing crunch time minutes for a top seeded Celtics fighting for playoff position. Players like Terry Rozier, Semi Ojeleye, and Abdel Nader find themselves playing big minutes in crucial games and making the most of those minutes. They are executing plays and adapting mid-game, finding success in it, against all-star led teams.

One of Brad Steven’s biggest assets is his flexibility. As seen by his constantly changing starting lineup, to create favorable matchups on both ends of the court. Steven’s switching to a 2-3 zone half-way through the fourth quarter takes as much cunning as it does spunk. The Jazz seemed suddenly lost on the offensive end as players like Ojeleye, Larkin, Tatum, Baynes, and Morris were covering every nook and cranny on the court.

At one point, 7-foot Baynes was even matched up with Rubio at the perimeter, yet the Celtics wouldn’t budge. Late game execution such as the play that freed up a Brown three and having the guts to switch to a 2-3 zone embodies the robotic yet radical mentality of Coach Stevens.

While it seems like the COTY award is going to be awarded to Raptors’ Head Coach Dwayne Casey, the last couple of weeks in the regular season will be critical in determining who comes out on top. Seeding will very much come into account, perhaps it will be weighed even more heavily than it should.

When looking at the success that Brad Stevens has had this season, one has to take into account many factors. The success of the team undoubtedly, the adversity that had to be overcome, and of course the development of players. One of Brad Steven’s most underrated skills could be his player development.

Although Rozier is a prime example, Ojeleye was the player that popped out during last night’s road victory in Utah. A player who has demonstrated his capability on the defensive end came alive offensively last night. A player that has been known to shoot has seemed hesitant most of the season and often times scared on the offensive end. A stretch last night with minimal offensive talent on the court was the perfect entrance for a revitalized Semi Ojeleye.

Although he only finished with 7 points on the game, those 7 points came consecutively and each point illustrated his growing confidence in his shot and his game awareness. These undermanned Celtics or Maine Red Claws as many like to joke are in fact no joke. Rather they embody what the Celtics are all about and are representations of Brad Steven’s spirit.

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Winning this many games, facing an injury plague like this can’t be overlooked. And if the Brad Steven’s is revitalizing his candidacy for COTY, then this past winning streak is what pushed his case of the top.