Cup of Joe. All hail Brad Stevens
After the conclusion of the 2001 Super Bowl, after Adam Vinaiteri hit the game winning field goal and after the initial wave of celebrations take place there's this very awesome, and very cool moment; Bill Bellichick, still overcome with excitement takes just a beat to take in the moment, looks at one of his assistant coaches and exuberantly asks "Can you believe we won with this team?!"
If you're familiar with that moment, you can't help but be reminded of it by the expression of Brad Stevens face. That 'Am I seriously doing this' expression. While the Super Bowl this is not, the achievement is no less astonishing; In a very short time Brad Stevens has coached this team, the closest thing we'll ever see to the real life incarnation of the Island of Misfit toys into a winning team.
Gigi Datome & Jonas Jerebko came here in a trade that their former coach and general manager said only happened because he thought the Celtics were cheap and looking to save money. Jae Crowder - who tallied for 10 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists - was an afterthought in a trade where the Celtics were 'robbed.' Tyler Zeller, who scored 26 points last night, was exchanged alongside another player AND a first round pick for quite literally nothing. Suddenly, valuable assets on one of, if not the hottest team in the East.
Some will be quick to point out that this latest win, the team's fifth straight and it's longest in two years, came against the lowly 76ers but that might be precisely the point. Because isn't this what good team's do? To quote Comzo Kramer "TCB'ng". Getting out early against an inferior team, and commanding a lead for the duration of the game.
That's an important element, and perhaps the final piece of transitioning from a 'fun team' to a 'good' one. Maybe not a great one, but certainly a team that's playing a whole lot better than the sum of its parts.
Start Your Morning Off With.. Demarcus Cousins, eater of worlds, dunking on all of your Hawks
What the Hell Happened To... Sherman Douglas
After attending Spingarn High School in Washington DC, he would go on to Syracuse where he teamed up with Rony Seikaly, Stephen Thompson, Billy Owens and Derrick Coleman under coach Jim Boeheim for some very talented college teams. In the 1989 draft, Sherman was the first pick of the second round, number 28 overall by the Miami Heat (making him a first round pick today).
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