Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens has done a phenomenal job coaching in his second season as an NBA coach. The Celtics have quietly become a surprising success story in the NBA this year. Since February 2, the Celtics have the 6th best record in the league.
Despite the lack of superstars on the team, Stevens has somehow coached the Celtics into the playoffs. When the Celtics defeated the Raptors in dramatic fashion Tuesday night, they clinched the 7th seed in the East. Being the 7th seeded team, the Celtics will have to go up against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs. Brad Stevens isn’t taking the Cavs lightly, per Celtics’ reporter Marc D’Amico.
Brad Stevens on being able to study @cavs for a playoff series: “You’d prefer it wasn’t against the best team ever assembled… Or whatever”
— Marc D’Amico (@Marc_DAmico) April 15, 2015
This is incredibly high praise. Yes, a roster sporting LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love is a ton of talent. However, there have been some pretty amazing teams in the past, and saying that this Cleveland team is the best ever may be going a bit far.
There have been plenty of other teams throughout NBA history that have been loaded with talent. Here are a few:
One is the 1996-97 Rockets, featuring Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, and Hakeem Olajuwon. Another was the 2007-08 Boston Celtics with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo. There was also the 2003-04 Lakers, who paired Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, and also had veteran Hall-of-Famers Karl Malone and Gary Payton. Of course, there’s also LeBron’s former team, the Miami Heat. They put LeBron together with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to form a powerful big three.
All in all, Coach Stevens is right not to underestimate the Cavs. They are one of the most fearsome teams in the NBA, and the Celtics would be hard-pressed to win more than a game or two against them. In fact, Vegas gives the Cavaliers 2/1 odds to win the championship this year. Saying they’re the best team ever assembled, though, is a huge statement, and might be going too far.
