Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
When he made his mark as one of the most successful college coaches at Butler, Brad Stevens’ philosophies were coined “The Butler Way”. It was a style of play and coaching that revolved around the principles of commitment, selflessness and team unity — themes you could see in those successful Stevens-led teams.
It was that kind of success and philosophy that he brought to the Celtics when he was hired in 2013, and became the youngest coach in the league. With a lot of turmoil in the Celtics, the 2013-14 season for Stevens and the Celtics was not latent with high expectations. But with Stevens’ six-year contract, it was clear the organization had made a commitment to the process. In his first season, the Celtics finished a pretty dismal 25-57, but there were signs of Stevens’ Butler Way beginning to take shape, especially on the defensive end where they finished 13th in opponent points per game.
Looking into this season, with a healthier Rajon Rondo at the helm and also the addition of Marcus Smart, a powerful, defensive-minded guard taken in the draft who seems like a nice fit for Stevens’ game plans on that side of the floor. But the Celtics statistically this season have been almost a complete 180 from last year’s model, and also a complete 180 degree turn from any of Stevens’ Butler teams.
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Through nine games they’re giving up the third-most points scored in NBA at 107.5 per game, and also have the 24th-ranked defense overall. But maybe even more surprising is the way they’re playing on offense. They’re currently third in the NBA in points per game at 106.8 and boast the eighth-ranked offensive rating in the league.
It’s been nearly a complete flip-flop on the offensive side of the ball, while on defense the Celtics have gone from above average to very poor. Although the sample size is still small, there’s been a shift in philosophy offensively, and it’s come at the expense of a very solid in-tune defensive squad the Celtics possessed last year and looked to build on this year. Has Stevens abandoned the Butler Way many had envisioned him bringing to Beantown?
No. The NBA is a different world compared to the NCAA, and the Butler Way that’s been so highly promoted and embodied by Stevens isn’t necessarily defined by playing a slow offense or throttling teams defensively as many Butler teams did: it’s the focus on continuity and togetherness on both ends.
Offensively that’s been apparent, as the Celtics are averaging 26.4 assists per game as a team, but the shift to a faster-paced offense has hurt their approach defensively. With young teams especially, transitioning into a loose, open-style offense lends itself to a less-detailed approach on the other end. That’s certainly been part of the shift with this year’s Celtics: They’re playing at a faster pace and in part it’s put their defense in a position where they’re not always set, where with last year’s offensive approach they could more easily get back.
This approach is part of why you see the drastic change statistically between this season and last season. Stevens will continue to adapt his defensive schemes to flow with their new approach offensively and find a balance to make them more competitive on that end of the floor. He’s still building that synchronization on both ends and learning on the fly the transition to the NBA style.
The style that was played at Butler wasn’t built overnight and this one with the Celtics won’t be either. The Butler Way isn’t being tossed out the window: it’s simply making its transition into the NBA.
