Brad Stevens says the Celtics could soon play an outdoor NBA game
Brad Stevens isn’t about to lace up the skates any time soon, but he could see the Boston Celtics taking after their NHL counterparts and playing a game outdoors.
The Celtics practiced in Waltham, Massachusetts, on New Year’s Day while the Boston Bruins were busy battling the Montreal Canadiens at Gillette Stadium in the NHL Winter Classic. In the spirit of the day, Stevens was asked if his team ever would play a game in the great outdoors and revealed that something might be in the works.
“I think it’s been talked about,” Stevens said, via ESPN.com. “The aircraft [Carrier Classic] game, there was moisture-on-the-court issues, and so I don’t know if they still do those or not. I know that was certainly something that was, from a fun event standpoint, and from everything else, it was a cool idea. And then obviously you want to create an idea that creates not a big threat of injury.
“But I’ve heard it being bounced around [the Celtics organization], that we would do an outdoor game in early October or something to that nature. And that’d be fun if it was done right and you could ensure that the playing surface was as good as the playing surfaces we play on every day.”
The Carrier Classic, played on a Navy aircraft carrier in 2011 between Michigan State and North Carolina, was the last college or pro game to be played outdoors. There have been four outdoor games in the history of the NBA, the latest a 2010 exhibition game between the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks.
Perhaps the Celtics can make that five by taking the court at Fenway Park?
Stevens also was asked if he’d ever take the ice after New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick skated with Bruins coach Claude Julien on Thursday. To that question, Stevens’ answer was a resounding “no.”
“Wouldn’t be doing it in front of a camera, that’s for sure,” Stevens said. “That’s where you know Belichick deserves all the accolades he gets, if he can get out on skates and do that. Because there’s no way -- I would fall down anyways, but right when I knew I was being watched, I would be on the ground.”
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