NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CELTICS VS. HEAT

September 27, 2020

Brad Stevens

Boston Celtics

Game 6: Pregame

Q. You've talked a lot about this group's internal drive and strive to be great. What have you seen from this group over the last couple of days?

BRAD STEVENS: I would say more of the same. I think we have had a good couple of days of practice. We know every time you play these guys how hard it's going to be, and certainly going to expect a great, great shot as usual. So we have to play well. We have to build off of some of the good things we did the other day. But it's a long game and just going to have to play each possession as well as we can.

Q. What have you noticed helps contribute to a great Jayson Tatum game? Is it something in the prep with him leading up to it? Is it the position you put him in on the floor?

BRAD STEVENS: No, I think Jayson is so mature for his age, so emotionally strong. I think he puts in a great deal of time, puts in a great deal of work, and I would say that he's just very consistent. Even in games where he doesn't make shots, per se, he does a lot of little things that help you win. So it's always, he's always prepared to do all that it takes to win and it's a credit to him.

Q. Your wife is here. We have had some of the coaches, Mike Malone, for example, make a big deal about what a change that was to kind of, for the coaches to be able to get some of that family support too, not just the players. What has it meant to you on a practical day-to-day?

BRAD STEVENS: Well, I mean, from my own standpoint, she's the assistant coach, the agent, the psychologist, and everything else that I rely on the most. So it's great to have them here, have her here. And we have talked many times that whatever our next set of schedules is, I think including families earlier is very important.

Q. With the three-point defense, Miami's numbers have come down every time and I know you still expect them to hit those threes at any point during this game tonight, but is there a shift or difference you've seen in the decision-making of how you're defending those shooters, without getting into the X's and O's, can you tell me about that?

BRAD STEVENS: Well, generally we have been a good three-point defense for a long time. But that's knock on wood because those guys can go off at any time. They can make tough ones. They can make them when you're there. I go back to Game 2 where we certainly shot ourselves in the foot a lot of ways, but they also heaved a few in and came back to win that game. And they were just shots that we couldn't have guarded any better. So I do think that that's, they're very capable. All we're trying to do is make it as hard as possible. And again, it's easier said than done, and that's it. I don't expect it to be perfect. It's hard to take away everything.

Q. Couple things here: First, the guys after the game talked about having fun in the second half. They just kind of got back to like enjoying basketball. What does that mean, what does that do for a player to go out there and play differently when they're having fun? And the second thing is: Did you hear Coach [Bill] Belichick wish you guys luck today?

BRAD STEVENS: Yeah, I just saw that clip. It's nice. Another great win for them. And we have always appreciated his and the entire Patriots organization's support. We miss playing at TD Garden where, if this was a playoff game, we would be looking around and a lot of them would be here. So certainly appreciate that sentiment from him. I think, not surprisingly, when you do your job really well, it's a lot of fun. So I think that that's part of the fun we had. Like, we really played hard, we really played together, we got energy from the way we were defending, the way we were moving the ball, running up the floor, playing with pace, playing with force. I think that we all can say we want to have fun, but if we don't play the right way or don't bring out the best in each other, it's hard to. So this is a game when played well together is that way and that's what you're striving for all the time certainly.

Q. When we get here early, can't help but notice Jay's [Celtics assistant coach Jay Larranaga] running Tacko[Fall] through some really wild stuff out there. Not wild, but stuff you wouldn't expect from a 7-6 guy. A two-ball dribble and there will never be an NBA play where he's called upon to dribble, I wouldn't imagine, but how important is it for him to develop other skills that he doesn't have?

BRAD STEVENS: The ball skills of big guys is critical. I think that the ability to hand off, the ability to take two or three dribbles and make a play for somebody else, the ability to catch it in the seam and read the attack in the action. What that does, all those things that Jay creatively comes up with is it builds just this ability to handle all of that. But if you -- look at the way all these teams are playing. Bam Adebayo in a lot of ways is the hub of the offense. They're running everything at the elbows through him, the top of the key through him, plays point a lot for them. Not necessarily that you would ever put Tacko in those positions, but he does have to be able to hand off, hit a backdoor pass, drive it from the top of the key if he's open and do what he does best. That stuff just makes him better. The more a big can handle the ball, the more a big can make the quick right read, the more versatile their options are as they move through their career.

Q. As long as you've known Spo, what's it like getting into an extended series with him, just matching adjustment for adjustments, just that whole process?

BRAD STEVENS: Well, he's great. And I don't want to pretend like I know him super well. Certainly I've gotten to know him a little bit better since we have been here just from walking by him and being around, teams being nearby for the last 80 days or so. But I think the greatest, as great as he is as a coach I think that his humility stands out. I just think he's an excellent person and obviously he does great stuff, they do great stuff, but that greatness combined with his just his sense of humility is awfully impressive.