Stevens banks on leadership growth of Tatum, Brown

Brad Stevens’ goal for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown is that the two young All-Stars reach their full leadership potential by the age of 26 or 27.

But in the meantime Tatum, 23, and the 24-year-old Brown are the headliners on a team that has come under increasing criticism for its underperforming ways. Nevertheless, the Celtics coach believes both players are on the right leadership track.

“Listen, those two guys are All-Stars and those two guys understand that with that — with the expectation of being our best players — that people are going to evaluate them in everything that they do,” said Stevens. “That’s a hard transition for a young guy. I’ve tried to be very empathetic towards that because I think that as much as we ask of them, that’s just another responsibility.

“I’ve said for years — or at least I’ve said in the past year — that my goal for them was to be two of the better leaders by the time they’re 26 or 27, right?” he said. “You have more experience, you have more to lean on. They’ll have this year, whatever it turns out to be, to lean on as another opportunity to reach back and say, ‘I’ve lived this and I can help us navigate this.’

“And so, I think the most important thing that young players can do when talking about leading is they can lead by example with their play on both ends, and they can be accountable. And I think, for the most part, they deserve high marks in those areas, and especially accountability. Those guys don’t shirk from the responsibility, they don’t point fingers at other people, and they have been really receptive to growth, and they deserve credit for that. They’re not as good of leaders as they will be when they’re 27, but they’re as good as any 22- and 24-year-old I can imagine. And so, I think that that’s one of the many reasons I think they’re special.”

IT back in the NBA

News of Isaiah Thomas’ 10-day contract with New Orleans had a predictably joyful effect on his former Celtics teammates and coaches.

“I watched him play with Team USA and communicated with him a little bit around there, and I’m really happy for him. I sent Stan (Pelicans coach Van Gundy) a text today right afterwards,” said Stevens. “Obviously I can’t say enough good things about Isaiah.”

Their recent struggles and inconsistency considered, the current Celtics could learn a few things from the Thomas-era Celtics.

“I’m brought back to how much I appreciate the way that that team played, and he was obviously the leader of the group,” said Stevens. “But he was so special here and so special to be around that you want the best for him, and this is a great opportunity. I look across the court today and the Houston team we played a couple of weeks ago is not the team we’re playing today, and two of the guys off the bench (Kelly Olynyk and Avery Bradley) were two of our better players on that team as well. It’s always good to see all of those guys have success, and I’m sure Isaiah’s going to kill it when he gets that opportunity. I’m sure it’s going to lead to a long-term opportunity, as we all hope.”

Langford still MIA

Though initially cleared to play in Friday’s game against Houston, Romeo Langford was a late scratch due to a need for more conditioning after his lengthy stay in health and safety protocol.

“Romeo’s just not ready to play. He’s gone through, even yesterday we did a little film thing with the team and he played some five-on-five up and down, and he just doesn’t feel ready, doesn’t feel comfortable,” said Stevens. “I think we’re days, not weeks, away. But coming back off the last two weeks has been difficult from a physical standpoint. Cleared, and everything fine cardiovascularly, but just as far as reconditioning….”

Tristan Thompson, in the protocol as long as Langford, finally reported to the team’s practice facility on Friday morning. The team is now waiting for Thompson’s cardiovascular tests to come back before activating the much-needed power forward.

“Once all of those (tests) come back, we have most of them back, and everything looks good, he’ll be able to start ramping up his activity,” said Stevens. “What that means as far as coming back, I don’t know.”

Stevens said that Semi Ojeleye, sidelined with a strained oblique, needs at least another week before he returns to action.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3rOdy2x