Brad Stevens was interviewed after practice on Thursday ahead of the Celtics’ first round series vs the Brooklyn Nets. He talked about facing off against Brooklyn, former-Celtic Kyrie Irving, and gave an injury update on Robert Williams.
Stevens has this to say on how the team should defend the Nets: “Well you gotta make everything as difficult as possible… going to have to take away easy baskets on cuts and rebounds… guard those guys as hard as you can… there will be some tip your cap moments… you’re not going to hold these guys to 90 or whatever the case may be, these guys are a high octane offense… just means your offensive possessions have to be very purposeful.”
He also commented on Kyrie Irving, who spent a few years with the Celtics not too long ago. Stevens said this:“Kyrie’s had an amazing year, and you know he was amazing here… he is a super special player with a really good heart… certainly I don’t have anything negative to say at all… he’s a guy that puts you on your heels when you’re playing against him.”
The head coach also gave an update on big man Robert Williams, giving this report from today’s practice: “Robert Williams did not practice, he’s still really sore… he’ll continue to be day-to-day, but I can’t imagine him practicing tomorrow based on how he was walking around today.”
