The Celtics have gotten off to a rocky start under new coach Ime Udoka and former coach Brad Stevens hinted there may be some work still to be done with the roster.
Stevens, of course, is now Boston’s chief of basketball operations. He indicated to Michael Holley of NBC Sports Boston the Celtics are still figuring out if the current lineup can get them to where they hope to go.
“We’re going to find out,” Stevens said. “Last year, we were 8-3 to start the year and it didn’t feel like 8-3 from my perspective, from the seat I was in. I felt like we had a lot of things we had to account for and we had to be a lot better in, and then we got hit with other stuff. Right now at 2-5, I feel a lot better from the structural stuff than 2-5.”
Stevens comments follow those made by guard Marcus Smart, who told reporters that leading scorers Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown “don’t want to pass the ball.”
But Stevens expressed optimism, citing the fact the Celtics are a tight-knight group that is seeking solutions to the early struggles.
“When you’re talking about our two young guys, Jaylen and Jayson, their next steps are hard because of where they are right now,’ Stevens told Holley. “They’re already up a ton of steps. An All-Star, two All-Star appearances for Jayson, so those next steps, they take a lot and I do trust that those two guys will make those. Their work, their care, their commitment, I believe they will make those steps.”
In other words, there’s no shortage of desire or any hint of team discord for the team being.
“Those guys want to win and at the end of the day, I think that’s the most important thing,” Stevens said.
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