Brad Stevens Wants To See Celtics Continue To Build On Defense
BOSTON (CBS) -- Much has been made of the Boston Celtics recent breakout on the defensive end, with the team currently sitting second in the league in defensive rating.
The Celtics have been harassing their recent opponents into submission, with 38 steals over their current three-game win streak. The C's are the best team in the league when it comes to forcing turnovers, with their opponents averaging 19 per game to start the season.
Those are great numbers to talk about, but head coach Brad Stevens doesn't want to see his team's defensive efforts dwindle now that everyone is praising their play after just 10 games.
"We've played well defensively in the first 10 games, but I believe it's not about talking about how well we're playing or how much we can do defensively, it's about going out and doing it," he told 98.5 The Sports Hub's Zolak & Bertrand on Wednesday. "Defense is hard because it takes a great deal of focus, tactical awareness and multiple efforts to just be successful at all. Hopefully we can continue to build off of it. We have personnel, especially in the backcourt, that can impact the ball and that has to be a huge emphasis for us."
Stevens wants to see the suffocating defense continue Wednesday night when the Celtics host the 7-4 Dallas Mavericks.
"Dallas crushed us last year. They're a really good team with one of the best players of all-time [in Dirk Nowitzki] who is shooting 50 percent from [the floor], 50 percent from three and 90 percent from the foul line, which is almost unheard of," he said. "Add to that, they have Deron Williams, Wes Matthews and Chandler Parsons, along with their bench and everything else, it's not a surprise to me they've had some early-season success.
"This league, because you play 82 games and they come at you in a hurry, you can feel at the top of the world one day and at the bottom of the barrel the next," cautioned the head coach. "You have to maintain a good way about you and we have to play well to win. Hopefully we do."
Stevens was also asked about David Ortiz's announcement that he'll retire following the 2016 season. During his first season in Boston, Stevens and the Celtics visited the Walter Reed Military Medical Center before a game against the Washington Wizards. The World Champion Red Sox had made their trip to the White House that day, and the Celtics and Red Sox ended up visiting with veterans together. That gave Stevens an up-close view of the kind of ambassador Ortiz has been for the city of Boston.
"I was in a group with [Dustin] Pedroia and Ortiz, and to say they're authentic and great representatives for the city is an understatement," said Stevens. "Ortiz's spirit with those soldiers and people going through incredibly tough times, it was really incredible. I came back and told my wife, 'No wonder he has had such an impact on his team, such a great career and why he is so beloved.'
"Hats off to him," Stevens said of Ortiz. "We're all looking forward to watching his last go around, and hopefully it's a memorable one."