The jump from coaching to college to the NBA is a big one. There is the speed of the game, dealing with men rather than college kids, the ebb and flow of a very long season.
And learning to lose. Boston rookie coach Brad Stevens — hired after a very successful six-year run as head coach at Butler —brought his Celtics into Saturday's game at Target Center with six losses, which is as many or more losses than he suffered in three of his six years in college.
"You get a great appreciation for how good the teams are," said Stevens of the process of playing and scouting NBA opponents.
"In college, you're always on edge about the next game. But certainly there are games that are more winnable than others. In this league, if you don't play well, you're going to get beat.''
Stevens, 37, is the youngest coach in the league. He was hired, and given a six-year deal to help rebuild the Celtics, who purged much of their roster — and even traded coach Doc Rivers — after last season and are retooling from the ground up.
Stevens many look younger than some of his players, but his calm demeanor and focus on team-oriented basketball already seems to be bearing at least some fruit.
Boston opened the season with four consecutive losses, but then reeled off four wins in a row, including a one-point victory at Miami Nov. 9. Boston has lost twice since.
By doing so he became the second NBA head coach to lose his first four (or more) game, then immediately follow that with a winning streak that brought his team back to .500.