Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens and Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse together put on a master class on playoff coaching adaptation in their seven-game Eastern Conference Semifinals series, each of the league’s top tactical coaches shifting strategy in response to the other.
It produced one of the most entertaining and intense postseason series in recent memory, with the Celtics’ Brad Stevens coming out on top at the end of the series.
The Athletic’s Ben Taylor breaks down how the two teams went at it in unprecedented ways in his most recent installment of his YouTube “Thinking Basketball” series.
If you are looking for a little distraction ahead of Boston’s Game 2 collision with the Miami Heat later today, or are just curious to see what it was that ultimately got the Celtics the win in the last round, this is the video you want to watch.
Check out the video embedded above to see all of the ins and outs of the next-level chess match played on the hardwood as Boston came up with the Semifinals win.
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