Brad Stevens not feeling Game 3 pressure, happy with Langford’s play

Speaking with the media ahead of the Boston Celtics Game 3 with the Philadelphia 76ers, head coach Brad Stevens was not feeling any pressure.

Ahead of the Boston Celtics Game 3 contest with the Philadelphia 76ers, Head Coach Brad Stevens seemed relaxed about the game his team is soon to play against their Atlantic Division rivals.

But that relaxation was more to do with having the opportunity to be playing basketball at all, an easy facet of contemporary life to lose sight of when the laser-focus of playoff basketball begins.

“We have a team full of intrinsically motivated people — really the travel party, the whole travel party’s that way,” Stevens explained.

“So, we’re going to try to do the best job we can; you realize that circumstances are unique. I think the idea of pressure, when we get a chance to play a kid’s game right now with the world being what it is, everybody else can call it pressure — we’re here to play as well as we can play with great intentions, and leave it at that.”

Evidently feeling loose in the Disney bubble restart, the former Butler coach was also bullish on rookie wing Romeo Langford, who has played well in teammate Gordon Hayward’s absence after the latter went down for at least four weeks with a grade III ankle sprain.

Langford played 21 minutes in Boston’s Game 2 win despite a wrist injury of his own, which Stevens relayed responded well.

“I thought he did a good job, his wrist feels pretty good,” offered the Celtics coach. Again, it’s something that he hasn’t had a ton of pain with it. And he tapes it up and plays so he’ll have it … looked at after the season but right now I think given the go ahead to play.”

“It’s a great opportunity for him,” Stevens added.

Langford and Grant Williams were especially helpful in that Game 2 win in filling in for Hayward, both making some excellent defensive plays and few mistakes.

With the boost in scoring off the bench the Celtics have seen in recent games, it’s exactly what the team needs to compete at a high level in the postseason.

That, and better luck on the injury front than in Game 1.

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