NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CELTICS VS. HEAT

September 15, 2020

Brad Stevens

Boston Celtics

Game 1: Postgame

Miami Heat 117, Boston Celtics 114 OT

Q. What are you seeing happens with the offense late in games where the ball movement dries up, becomes a lot of iso ball?

BRAD STEVENS: I think obviously switching has something to do with it. We need to handle it better, there's no question about it. Not only was there probably too much pounding of the ball, it was also not as much space the way they were guarding. We need to do a better job of that.

We'll go back and look at different ways we can attack better at the end of the game.

Q. Another just tough shooting night for Kemba there. Anything you're seeing in his game right now or is it just good defense by Miami?

BRAD STEVENS: They've got great athletes out there. I think the guys, some of the guards, are able to keep in front with their length. Then Bam was switching a ton of pick-and-rolls all day. He is a tremendous defender.

We're going to have to figure out, again, better ways to attack, especially late. I thought we really moved it at times, then we did get stagnant.

Q. Up 14 early in the fourth. What happened? They got into bonus early.

BRAD STEVENS: The fouls killed us. Then the transition. Our transition defense, in addition to playing slower and pounding the ball more, we just got to be a lot better in all those areas. These games go back and forth like this. We were down six, then took that lead.

We got to play better, though. Transition defense really stands out. That Herro three with a minute left in regulation was a killer. There were multiple other plays that led up to that that I thought let them back in.

Q. Do you think the guys might be lulled into hunting some of these mismatches and that might be part of the reason why things go stagnant?

BRAD STEVENS: I'll look at it and get back to you.

Q. Tatum kind of settled for a deep three at the end of regulation. Then at the end of overtime he attacked well and Bam made an incredible play. Were you happy to see him kind of recognize in that moment when he got a second chance the importance of trying harder to set up a good look for himself?

BRAD STEVENS: I trust that he'll make the right decision. He's a hell of a player. When he has the ball, I feel good about it.