Brad Stevens Is Tired Of Waiting For NBA Playoff Schedule
BOSTON (CBS) -- Are you getting a little miffed that we still don't know when the Celtics and Bucks will tip off their second-round playoff series? So is Celtics head coach Brad Stevens.
The Celtics completed their first-round sweep of the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, and the Milwaukee Bucks did the same to the Detroit Pistons on Monday. While it has been reported the Celtics and Bucks will get their Eastern Conference semifinals series underway either Saturday or Sunday, the NBA is in no rush to divulge when the series will begin.
Update: Game 1 is reportedly set for 1 p.m. Sunday in Milwaukee
Stevens is as calm and cool as they come, aside from the occasional "gosh darn-it!" from the bench. But he made it pretty clear that he's done with this current waiting game when appearing on 98.5 The Sports Hub's Zolak and Bertrand on Wednesday (interview starts around the 15-minute mark).
"We are still awaiting final word, and we've been awaiting final word for multiple days now." Stevens said "Hopefully we get final word very, very soon."
The two other Eastern Conference playoff series just wrapped up Tuesday night, with three of the Western Conference series still going. Stevens did note that both the Celtics and Bucks swept their respective first-round opponents, so they figured there would be some waiting involved. He added that the NBA is keeping the teams abreast to their thinking, but they haven't given a definite answer as to when they'll be playing Game 1.
Not knowing when they'll play next has made it difficult to plan practices this week.
"This one's been frustrating, because obviously we've been not playing games since Sunday night," said Stevens. "So to create a practice schedule where you can practice appropriately, prepare appropriately and rest appropriately, obviously depends on when your next game is."
Of course, there are some benefits to the lengthy layoff. Stevens and his squad have a few more days to practice their plan against Giannis Antetokounmpo, though the head coach joked that he's been trying to figure it out for two years now.
And with no game in sight, the Celtics also had a chance to check out the Bruins' Game 7 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.
"It's a good reminder of how much fun it is instead of just a job all the time," Stevens said of the Boston sports scene.
Since the Celtics and Bucks won't play until this weekend, Stevens may even be able to check out the Bruins' Game 1 tilt against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. Maybe by then he'll know when his Celtics will play next.