Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens had a perfect answer worthy of a politician when asked about the hoopla surrounding rival Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse, who was standing eerily close to the court when a Jayson Tatum pass darted his way during Game 6.
The Raptors coach received flak for being too close to the action, but Stevens wouldn't go the same route as his Celtics players — rather taking the political route:
“He's a really good coach,” said Brad Stevens, according to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. “It's not my job to react to what the other side is doing.”
Stevens isn't about to start a war and pour kerosene on the fire that's been scorching this heated series between his Celtics and the Raptors. Things got chippy late in the game, as Marcus Smart came close to skirmishing with the likes of Norman Powell after some testy loose ball plays.
The Celtics coach is better off re-focusing his team to take on a crucial Game 7; a win he will have to accomplish while both teams battle tired legs.
Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Marcus Smart all played over 50 minutes. The same could be said about the Raptors starters, who all saw over full regulation minutes in the double-overtime win to save their season.
Whether Nurse was right to stand where he stood or not is inconsequential at this point, and it will be a forgotten gaffe if the Celtics punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday.
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