Despite now having two players go down with an injury in guard Marcus Smart and forward Jayson Tatum in FIBA World Cup play, Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens isn’t worrying himself with the possibility of his players getting injured while playing for Team USA.
Per MassLive’s John Karalis, Stevens says that he “[doesn’t] really think about it.”
“I don’t really think about it,” Brad Stevens said this afternoon. “At the end of the day, they’re going to be playing 5-on-5 other places. I don’t think you can get any better prep than doing what those guys are doing.”
As Stevens alludes to, NBA players often find themselves playing 5-on-5 in the offseason some way or the other, whether they’re playing in a Pro-Am basketball tournament or league or just playing pickup games with fellow NBA players, some who happen to be their friends.
In further agreeance with Stevens, international competition — be it a FIBA World Cup or the Olympics — is shown to correlate to what can be dramatic player improvement and there’s no better way for a player to develop in the offseason, aside from diligently working one-on-one with a basketball trainer.
Stevens also believes his players will benefit from “playing in environments where everybody is rooting against them, in tight games.” Last season, Boston had just a 21-20 record on the road (compared to a 28-13 record at home) and had their share of late game fiascos, often on the road.
When in-game momentum swings, the crowd can have a significant impact on defensive communication, focus and the overall mood of the team in the arena.
“I always say that the first road game of the year hits you like a ton of bricks,” Stevens said. “These guys are doing it in late August, early September.”
That said, although Stevens isn’t concerned about Smart’s calf strain or Tatum’s ankle sprain and undoubtedly sees the benefits of his players taking part in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, he doesn’t want them to overextend themselves. Resting their body is as important to player health as a good nutritionist.
“When they get back, should they play open gym a couple of hours after they land? No.”
Seeing himself as “a cheerleader from afar” since he’s their coach, Stevens is trying to stay out of the way of Smart, Tatum, Kemba Walker and and Jaylen Brown while also placing his trust in Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich — a master at finding ways to rest players — through FIBA play.
“Nobody manages bodies better than Pop,” says Stevens. “So I think they’ll just be in great shape when they come back.”
