BOSTON (AP) — Celtics coach Brad Stevens can only remember leaving his home on a few occasions over the past two weeks.
It is part of the new status quo for coaches and players across the NBA since the coronavirus pandemic sparked a rolling shutdown of professional sports across the globe. The league suspended its season March 11 after Utah Jazz All-Star Rudy Gobert became its first player to test positive for the COVID-19 strain.
Like everyone else, the 42-year-old coach is left searching for ways to adjust to a new reality and daily routine.
The new coronavirus has led to a global pandemic, infecting a minimum of 597,000 individuals and causing over 27,000 deaths worldwide. It has severely impacted economies and necessitated limitations on the mobility of millions to prevent further spread of the virus and to avoid overwhelming healthcare systems.
So far, the NBA has cancelled 100 games and it is uncertain when or even if the season will continue.
Stevens stated that he is spending his time just like many others across the country.
“I make an effort to do everything that is asked of us,” he said. “We go out, we take walks… But, I can’t help thinking about everyone who’s really dealing with this situation. It’s just that it makes you feel so terrible.”
Stevens devotes his days to maintaining strong connections with both his family and the Celtics’ family as best as he can.
Together with his wife Tracy, he created a PowerPoint presentation to help their 14-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter understand the extent of the pandemic in both New England and globally.
He has also been participating in video conference calls with his players and coaching staff. However, he mentioned that the focus has been less on basketball and more on ensuring everyone’s safety.
“You know that, like the rest of the world, we’re putting basketball on the back burner,” he said.
Marcus Smart, a guard for the Celtics, revealed his COVID-19 diagnosis on March 19. Prior to this, Boston had a game against the Utah Jazz on March 6.
Stevens stated that we will all likely remember the day when Gobert’s positive test was revealed to the public.
Stevens stated that Smart is doing well. As a preventive measure, all Celtics players and staff were tested, and the results were all negative.
“Clearly, we’re entering a different world in the days following this,” said Stevens. “We’re referring to staying at home as an inconvenience, which is almost laughable. There are countless individuals tirelessly working each day to assist our communities and ensure safety, even at the risk to themselves. I believe every time you switch on the TV, the reality of the situation becomes even more evident.”
Although Stevens doesn’t believe it’s currently suitable “to heavily focus on basketball” with his players, they are still managing to get some work done during their leisure time.
All the players have been provided with exercise bikes and a personal weight set for optional home workouts. Additionally, Stevens is currently undertaking some of the postseason film study that he usually completes after the season.
“He said, ‘It assists us in pinpointing what needs to be done if we can start playing again and what to concentrate on when we return to practice. Being off for as long as we’re going to be is a unique situation, requiring acclimation and reconditioning. However, we already have a system in place with those 15 guys.'”
Stevens stated that he’s currently focusing on staying busy instead of attempting to forecast when he may be able to fully return to basketball.
“There’s a lot that needs to be determined,” he said. “However, none of this can be determined until we have a timeline, which is almost impossible to establish at the moment.”
