Celtics coach adjusts to NBA hiatus

BOSTON (AP) – Celtics coach Brad Stevens has only left his home a few times in the past two weeks.

It is part of the new status quo for coaches and players across the NBA since the coronavirus pandemic suspended professional sports worldwide. The league suspended its season on March 11 after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert became its first player to test positive for the virus.

That has left the 42-year-old coach, like the rest, looking for ways to adjust to a new reality and a new daily routine.

The coronavirus has caused a global pandemic that has sickened at least 597,000 people and killed more than 27,000 worldwide, battered economies and forced restrictions on the movement of millions of people in an effort to prevent the virus from spreading further and overwhelm public health systems.

The NBA has lost 100 games so far and has no idea how long the season could resume _ if it does.

Stevens said he is spending time in the same way as many others in the country.

“I try to do what they asked us to do,” he said. “We go for a walk … But I think of all the people who are really facing this. And it makes you feel very bad. ”

Stevens spends his days trying to stay in touch with his family and the Celtics as much as he can.

He and his wife, Tracy, prepared a PowerPoint presentation for their 14-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter to explain the magnitude of the pandemic in New England and the world.

He has been participating in video conferences with his players and assistants, although he says the conversations have had little basketball and have been more to make sure everyone is doing well.

“We are like the rest of the world, we know that basketball is on one side,” he said.

On March 19, Celtics guard Marcus Smart disclosed that he had been diagnosed with COVID-19. Boston played against the Jazz on March 6.

As a precaution, all Celtics players and staff were tested, but those tests came back negative. Stevens said Smart is fine.