NBA: Celtics coach Brad Stevens quashes Indiana rumors

Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens said he's flattered his name is being linked with the vacant job at Indiana, but reiterated he's staying put.

Speculation has grown that the 44-year-old Stevens would return to his home state to coach the Hoosiers since Indiana fired Archie Miller on Monday.

"I said it the other day: I'm not (considering it)," Stevens said Friday. 

"And I tried to say it as clearly as I could and also make sure that people understand that that place to me is special. Because I don't want to make it sound like it's not. But, like I said the other day, I'm so grateful to this organization, and to the people here, and for all that they've done for us."

Stevens built his coaching reputation at Butler. He led the Indianapolis school to five NCAA Tournaments in six seasons, including two Final Fours. The Bulldogs lost to Duke, 61-59, in the 2010 title game and to UConn the following year.

His Butler teams were 166-49.

The Celtics hired Stevens before the 2013-14 season, and he has a 338-267 regular season record in the NBA. The Celtics have made the playoffs each of the past six seasons, twice advancing to the Eastern Conference finals.

Hampered by injuries and COVID-19 disruptions, the Celtics are 20-21 and in eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

"I love coming to work every day. I love this area," Stevens said of Boston. "People have been great to us. My family is so happy. And, at the same time, home is home. And that's why I wanted to make sure everybody understood that means a lot."

The Hoosiers will be looking to make a home-run hire. Once among the NCAA's elite programs, Indiana hasn't made the NCAA Tournament since 2016. They finished the 2020-21 season with a 12-15 overall record, going 7-12 in the Big Ten.

Other rumored candidates include Chris Beard of Texas Tech, Scott Drew of Baylor and John Beilein, formerly the coach of Michigan.

-reuters-

Celtics top Lakers, secure All-Star coaching job for Stevens

Isaiah Thomas scored 38 points to lead the Boston Celtics to a milestone win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, a 113-107 triumph that earned Boston's Brad Stevens an All-Star coaching job.

Thomas produced his usual fourth-quarter pyrotechnics, scoring 21 points in the final frame to help the Celtics stretch their NBA winning streak to six games.

And they took the franchise's total of NBA regular-season victories to 3,253 -- taking the all-time lead in wins from their longtime rivals the Lakers.

It was the first time since the 2000-01 season that Los Angeles hasn't at least been tied atop the list of all-time victories.

Before the game, Celtics coach Brad Stevens called it "unbelievable" that the clubs who boast a long and storied rivalry came into the contest tied at 3,252 wins apiece.

"I think it's a unique enough rivalry that 100 years from now it will probably be tied again," he said.

But the current Lakers and Celtics players are far removed from the 12 championship series between the two clubs -- a rivalry that flowered first in the 1960s and again in the 1980s and the 2000s.

The Lakers are still trying to find their way after plunging to a franchise worst 17-65 record last season. But Stevens said a game against the Lakers was always a challenge.

"They've got a bright future ahead and I like their young talent," he said. "They're a scary team to play against."

The win had an extra repercussion for Stevens. Less than an hour earlier, the Toronto Raptors fell 102-94 to the Orlando Magic. That means the Celtics are assured of second place in the Eastern Conference as of Sunday, so that Stevens will coach the East in the All-Star Game this month.

The honor would go to Tyronn Lue, coach of East-leading Cleveland, but he coached in the midseason exhibition last year and therefore isn't eligible this time around.

"Well, first of all, it should be Ty Lue, but the way the rules work then it's the next-best record because he did it last year," said Stevens, whose team is 32-18. "But what's nice about it is there's no politics in it. There's no subjectivity -- it's what your team has accomplished."

Thomas, who leads the league in fourth-quarter scoring with more than 10 points per game in the final period, scored his 37th and 38th points with 2:25 left in the game but didn't take another shot. He just missed becoming the first Celtic to score 40 points in three straight games.

"I didn't know about the three games in a row," he said. "I didn't know about it or I would have had the last shot."

"I'm glad we won," he added. "That's all that matters."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Celts stun Cavs on Bradley's 3-pointer at buzzer

The Boston Celtics could not hold onto a late lead, and Avery Bradley could not hold onto the ball. Ultimately, it did not matter.

Bradley recovered in time to make a 3-pointer at the buzzer Friday, and the Celtics stormed out of Quicken Loans Arena with a stunning 104-103 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers after they rallied from five points down in the final 18.6 seconds.

The Celtics blew a seven-point lead with four minutes left, but Bradley's shot against the team that swept the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs last season bailed them out.

"In the big picture, it does count as one, but it gives you a sense you're improving and getting better," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "For us, it would have been disappointing to lose that lead and not come out with a win. They made huge plays late in the game, but our guys stayed poised. To score five points inside eight seconds is a good deal."

The Cavs seemed to have the victory sealed when guard J.R. Smith grabbed an offensive rebound off forward LeBron James' missed 3-pointer with 22 seconds left. Guard Kyrie Irving made a pair of foul shots for a four-point lead, but Smith fouled Evan Turner while the Boston swingman was driving for a basket with four seconds left.

Turner's hoop pulled the Celtics within 103-101, but he missed the free throw, and the ball trickled out of bounds off the Cavs. It gave possession back to the Celtics with one final shot to win it.

Forward Jae Crowder inbounded to guard Isaiah Thomas, who started to drive before spinning and passing back toward Bradley. Bradley momentarily fumbled the pass but recovered in time to get the shot off with guard Iman Shumpert -- the Cavs' best perimeter defender -- standing in front of him.

"I knew it was there," Bradley said. "It's a great feeling."

James scored 30 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, but was so upset he put in a rare postgame workout before speaking with reporters.

"It's how we lost. It hurts," James said. "It's been a while since I felt like this."

When asked if he thought the defense covered Bradley's shot well, James said, "No."

"The only thing that can beat us is a 3," he said. "It's unfortunate that's what happened."

Thomas scored 22 points and Turner had 19 points, 12 rebounds and six assists off the bench for the Celtics.

Smith scored 20 points before fouling out on the critical play that sent Turner to the line. Irving had 19 points and six assists for the Cavaliers.

"There were more than a few mental mistakes going down in those last final seconds until that buzzer went off," said Irving, who didn't appear nearly as upset as James following the loss. "It was just a few bad bounces that obviously can be corrected by us."

Forward Kevin Love's run of bad luck against the Celtics continued when he left the game late in the third quarter with a bruised thigh. Love was bumped by guard Marcus Smart under the basket with two minutes left in the quarter and dropped to the ground. He was writhing in pain on the baseline for a few moments and had to be helped to the bench before limping to the locker room.

"Probably for 10 minutes there it was a dead leg," Love said. "I don't know what it will feel like (Saturday), but I'm optimistic it's just a thigh bruise, nothing else."

Love left the game with 10 points and five rebounds, although he had eight points and four rebounds after the first quarter.

The Celtics have won three straight, while the Cavs fell to 5-3 under new coach Tyronn Lue. Cleveland, which shot just 21-for-35 from the free-throw line, lost a second game in a row. The Cavaliers' lead over the Toronto Raptors for the top spot in the East is down to 1 1/2 games.

(Editing by Peter Rutherford)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com