Brad Stevens: laying down is not an option

Things could be going better for the Boston Celtics. After a disappointing west coast swing the C’s have dropped to 13-25 on the season. 10 of those loses have come in the last 11 games with the current loss count standing at eight in a row.

It can’t be an easy position that Brad Stevens’ Celtics are in. No one involved with this organization can be “happy” about the current state of the team, but the 2013-14 campaign was about building towards the future. The Reboot to the franchise with more titles than any other team in the NBA. This current Celtics season is the hardwood floor equivalent to being between a rock and a hard place.

Despite the constant trade rumors, criticism, and the word “tanking” being peppered into virtually every conversation about this team, there is one group that is adamant that this season is not a lost cause: the 2013-14 Boston Celtics.

While they did result in losses, the last three games of the most recent road trip were hotly contested games against three of the best teams in the Western Conference. Stevens, who described himself as “sick” about the growing pile of losses, is staying positive and forcing his team to keep things in perspective.

“You know what, it’s not real adversity,” Stevens said. “When things aren’t going your way, when you lose a couple games, it’s not real adversity. The way that you should respond is that you’re fortunate to do this job. You’re going to go after it and you’re going to do the very best you can. We’re not getting what we want, and I’m sick about that. But at the end of the day, laying down is not an option. Doing things and continuing to go after it every day is what you do when things get tough.”

What would be nice after a string of stiff competition would be a home game against another slumping team, but that is not in the cards. This week, the Celtics will play host to the 24-14 Houston Rockets, the revamped Toronto Raptors, and their storied rival Los Angeles Lakers.

It is still too early to tell how this season is going to ultimately shake out. With eight playoff spots for the Eastern Conference to fill, even with a record of 13-25, the Celtics are not out of the playoff hunt. With just about a month to go before the NBA trade deadline and a lot more moves to be made league wide, there is still a lot of basketball left to play.

Follow Padraic O'Connor on Twitter @padraic_oconnor

Source: Jay King; MassLive

Photo: AP Photo/Greg Wahl-Stephens