The Boston Celtics are four games into their first-round NBA playoff series with the Chicago Bulls, and dribbling — yes, dribbling — has emerged as a major point of contention.
It all started Sunday night after Boston’s Game 4 win, when Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg claimed Isaiah Thomas was getting away with dribbling violations that made him “impossible to guard.” The Celtics point guard offered an amused retort shortly thereafter, and on Monday, it was Brad Stevens’ turn to weigh in on “DribbleGate.”
As you might expect, the even-keeled Celtics coach took the high road, choosing not to call out Hoiberg for his criticisms.
“I’m not going to say what I would or wouldn’t do with regard to what somebody else chooses to say,” Stevens told reporters in a conference call. “I’m not putting a lot of weight into that. … I think highly of Coach Hoiberg. I’ve known him for a long time. Whatever he wants to say is his prerogative.”
Stevens still defended his player, though, replying with a simple “no” when asked if he believed Thomas was guilty of carrying in Game 4.
“I think Isaiah is one of the best scorers in the league, and like the other really good scorers, he’s hard to guard because of his skill, his change of pace and his explosion,” Stevens added.
“… There’s a reason why coaches are asked, ‘How do you contain and how do you keep Isaiah from doing what he does?’ It’s just a really hard thing to do. And it’s not anything different than some of the other really good scorers in this league.”
Thomas certainly wouldn’t be the first NBA player to take liberties with his dribble and get away with it. Whether the Celtics like it or not, though, Hoiberg’s comments likely will put the spotlight on Thomas’ ball-handling Wednesday when the teams meet at TD Garden for a crucial Game 5.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
