Stevens: Heat tilt ‘really important’ for playoffs; Timelord day-to-day, likely to play

Justin Quinn
·3 min read
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Boston Celtics Head Coach Brad Stevens spoke with the press to talk about the team’s regular-season mini-series at TD Garden, its import to playoff seeding, and where the team was at health-wise with news All-Star forward Jaylen Brown was to be a scratch for at least the first of the two meetings this week between the Eastern Conference teams vying with one another today for the sixth seed.

At present, the Heat hold sixth place in the East with a 36 – 31 record while Boston is right behind them in seventh place with a 35 -31 record, with Boston owning a win over Miami earlier this season in January.

“All these games that we’re playing right now, these games [with] Miami we’re playing right now are really important for positioning heading into the postseason” began the Celtics head coach.

"I think it's really important to prepare well, to focus on what you can control," he added.

"You can't dive in quite like a playoff series, just because there's not the time. You get home from Chicago late [after playking the Bulls], you have a an hour yesterday where we got a chance to focus and spend time on what we wanted to do today. So, it's not quite the same. But certainly these games are awfully meaningful, and everybody knows it, everybody feels it."

"We're going to have to play really well to have a chance to win," opined Stevens. "It's a very good team that is close to full." https://twitter.com/TheCelticsWire/status/1391382282003492864?s=20

The Indiana native also gave an update on the team's health, noting that Jaylen Brown -- downgraded to out earlier Sunday morning -- would "have more information tomorrow" regarding where his ankle was at in terms of future availability. He also shared that center Robert Williams III would be a game-time decision as he manages the pain of turf toe -- a sprain of ligaments near the big toe -- in his left foot. https://twitter.com/TheCelticsWire/status/1391202350300241920?s=20

"It's going to be, in a lot of cases, how he feels," said Stevens.

"When you when you hear the phrase 'turf toe', you unless you've had it, you may not realize how much discomfort that can be. I've had; it's obviously not enjoyable. But, it'll be day-to-day, and, we'll go from there. The inclination, or where I am right now is I think he'll probably play today."

"But, I think that there will be a lot of gametime decisions over the next however many games," he explained. https://twitter.com/TheCelticsWire/status/1391211339348168705?s=20

With recovery time from turf toe sometimes stretching into six weeks and even beyond, this assessment is in line with reports the injury can take anywhere from days to months depending on the severity. And with Brown's return timeline unclear, Boston will need whatever help they can get from top to bottom heading into the playoffs to secure a shot at dodging the play-in tourney to get a little rest. This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook! [lawrence-related id=50116,50080,50073,50066] [listicle id=50099]

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