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“The last week’s been tough,” Stevens told reporters in New York before Tuesday’s game against the New York Knicks. “I was happy that I got a chance to say goodbye. And this is really about, when you coach somebody, you get a lot more out of coaching them than they do from you. And that’s that. I could go on and on and it wouldn’t do him justice.
“[Smith] was special. He was tough,” Stevens added, his voice cracking. “He set a great example.”
ESPN Boston – Celtics coach Brad Stevens on Andrew Smith: ‘He just never gave in’
Age 25 is the prime of life, when adulthood blooms and the potential of the future seems unlimited. So the death of any 25-year-old is unquestionably a tragedy, but perhaps especially so when that person was a peak athlete just a few short years ago.
Celtics fans didn’t have a connection to Andrew Smith, but we care about Brad Stevens, so we sincerely join Brad in mourning his loss. Brad’s response to Smith’s terrible situation, how he supported the Smith family, how he put aside basketball for something truly important, has elevated the universal respect for the coach throughout the basketball world. Watch the video in the ESPN Boston piece and you’ll see his genuine emotion.
We offer heartfelt condolences to Andrew Smith’s wife, family, friends, and Coach Stevens.
Related: MassLive – Brad Stevens tears up while remembering ‘special’ former Butler player Andrew Smith | Andrew Smith, former Butler player, dies at 25 after long battle with cancer | CSNNE – Brad Stevens coaching with a heavy heart
On Page 2: No Hollywood ending
The Celtics had just dropped their fourth straight game, a 120-114 thriller, after failing to overcome a listless first quarter against the New York Knicks. Far more importantly, Stevens had just lost one of the people he admires most, Andrew Smith, the 25-year-old former Butler player who passed away Tuesday morning after a long battle with cancer.
“I think it’s hard to talk about today,” Stevens said. “Obviously I’m disappointed with the loss. There are bigger-picture things for me today. I think we have some good things. But if we don’t improve in the details then we don’t have a chance. So we either will, or we’ll be lucky to win games.”
MassLive – On emotional day for Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics drop another winnable game
Losing games down the stretch is gradually becoming the identity of the Celtics following yet another winnable game slipping through their hands and ending with a 120-114 loss to the New York Knicks.
Boston (19-19) has now lost four straight and six of its last seven games, looking nothing like the team that just a couple of weeks ago was in the hunt for one of the top spots in the East.
CSNNE – Celtics lacking cohesiveness on defensive end
If we’d been able to write a script for last night’s game, the Celtics would have come together for their coach and pulled off a thrilling comeback win on the road against a divisional rival. Brad would have received a lift after a day of sadness.
Instead, the Celts again found a way to lose a close game. Even if Boston wins at home tonight versus Indiana, the problems won’t be solved. Something has to change to get the team back on track and prevent the season from sliding away. Whether it be a trade, more lineup shifting, or the players simply performing more consistently, let’s hope it happens soon.
And, finally: Tales from the Stone Age
Best part? Globe didn’t travel w/Cs in ’70, so Ryan would wait in the office for Tom Heinsohn to call in an update: https://t.co/xBu97i7ZN9
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) January 12, 2016
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Long-time Celtics beat writer Bob Ryan has been around for going on 50 years. In his prime, he was so respected as an NBA expert that he was nicknamed “The Commissioner.” It’s amazing how much the craft of reporting has changed since Ryan began his career, before free agency, salary caps, live online gamecasts, a 30-team league, advanced stats, and more. If you want a flavor of what basketball reporting was like back in the day, catch this interview.
The Rest of the Links:
Herald – Celtics’ losing streak hits four | Celtics to honor ’66, ’76 and ’86 championship teams
MassLive – Isaiah Thomas’ 34 points, second-half comeback not enough
CSNNE – Stars, studs and duds: Knicks lethal vs. Celtics D
ESPN Boston – Celtics get ‘crazy’ with Marcus Smart defending Kristaps Porzingis
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