first two preseason ga

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When Brad Stevens accepted the Celtics head coaching job five years ago patrick mahomes stitched jersey , he didn’t allow himself to get caught up in thinking about how he could add his name to the franchise’s rich history.

He was too busy trying to figure out how to avoid being buried under it.

”You realize that if you’re going to break records here, you’re probably going to break bad ones,” he recently said. ”Because none of the good ones are reachable.”

While achieving Red Auerbach status may not be on Stevens’ radar, in just his fifth season there’s no question the 41-year-old is also beyond being the wide-eyed former Butler University coach who arrived in Boston.

In a timeframe that has often already swallowed up most first-time NBA coaches, he’s managed to endear himself to a championship-driven city by helping Boston make an improbable run back to the Eastern Conference finals.

The Celtics seemingly had their championship hopes derailed following the season-ending injuries to both of their offseason additions in Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving.

Yet, Boston won 55 games during the regular season and increased its win total for the fifth consecutive season under Stevens.

Despite having a roster that was down to just 11 healthy players by the end of their second-round win over Philadelphia, the Celtics enter their conference finals rematch with Cleveland on Sunday with a 7-0 record at home this postseason.

They are also the first team in NBA history to make it back to this point without their leading scorer from the regular season (Irving).

Most of the NBA community was taken aback after Stevens failed to receive a single vote from his peers when the National Basketball Coaches Association gave out its coach of the year award. The honor went to Toronto’s Dwane Casey, who was fired Thursday after his team was swept in the East semifinals by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Stevens has always downplayed the attention placed on coaching awards. He said that he thought Casey deserved the honor and didn’t expect him to be without a job for long.

Boston’s successes this season aside, Stevens said comfort remains a commodity this profession.

”I don’t think that I would ever define anybody in the coaching or playing shoes probably as comfortable,” he said. ”You’re just focused on what’s next. But it is basketball. There’s only so much you can do.”

But it’s also clear that one of the reasons that Casey lost his job was the Raptors‘ inability to challenge the Cavs in the postseason. Toronto was also swept out of the playoffs by Cleveland last season.

Most of the credit for Boston’s run thus far surely belongs to veteran Al Horford and the Celtics’ corps of young players, including Terry Rozier patrick mahomes authentic jersey , Jaylen Brown and rookie Jayson Tatum.

Stevens agrees with that assessment and has remained true to his style by blending into the background in public, instead waiting for the huddle or practice to make his voice heard.

He believes his team’s mental toughness and grit have carried it more than anything he’s done.

Horford said Stevens hasn’t shied away from putting their young players in pressure situations.

”I think a lot of our guys have been thrown into the fire. I think it’s been designed that way so guys can just develop and learn as they go,” Horford said. ”But I think that one of the things that helps them is the way that coach helps them prepare and the way that he teaches them the game.”

There is also at least one person watching from afar who thinks a lot of the credit belongs to Stevens. And it just happens to be the same player he will spend the next few weeks trying to stop: LeBron James.

From Stevens’ ability to draw up plays out of timeouts, to his management of late-clock situations, to getting the best out of his roster, James has long been a fan.

”I think they are one of the most well-coached teams in our league,” James said. ”No matter who has played for them, he can put guys in position to succeed and get the most out of whoever has been in their lineup over the past few years. It’s not just this year.”

Stevens said he’s focused on living in the moment.

”From our standpoint, I feel like it’s been a lot of fun,” he said. ”We talked about it prior to the playoffs; nobody should love a challenge more, nobody should have more fun doing it. I think our guys have done a good job with that.”

And though he may never say it http://www.kansascitychiefsteamonline.com/patrick-mahomes-ii-jersey , so has their coach.

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AP Sports Writer Tom Withers in Independence, Ohio contributed to this report.

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Adrian Peterson didn't mind a healthy diet of action in the preseason 12 years into an NFL career that hasn't included much exhibition work.

"So many years I begged to play in the preseason and was shut down," Peterson said. "They didn't have to beg me at all to play this week."

The Washington Redskins needed to see what Peterson had left in the tank, and the 33-year-old showed them by rushing for 56 yards on 11 carries in his debut, a 29-17 loss to the Denver Broncos on Friday night in each team's third preseason game.

"He surely doesn't look like he lost a step," left tackle Trent Williams said of his friend and college teammate. "I can tell you that much."

Peterson carried the ball seven consecutive plays on one possession, and the 2012 MVP later picked up 15 yards on fourth-and-1. The Redskins signed Peterson on Monday after injuries to three running backs and wanted to see how he could handle a heavy workload.

They got their answer: enough to likely earn the starting job Week 1 at the Arizona Cardinals. After only three practices, Peterson looked to have passed Rob Kelley, Kapri Bibbs and injured backs Samaje Perine and Byron Marshall on the depth chart.

Peterson wanted to gauge how he'd handle a game after missing offseason workouts and training camp, and said, "Based on how I felt today Demetri Goodson Jersey , I'm pretty excited."

His play was a bright spot for the Redskins as they were carved up by Case Keenum and Denver's first-team offense, and Alex Smith was an unimpressive 3 of 8 for 33 yards and said his performance was "not where it needed to be."

"The big thing was I wanted to really focus in on the running game and try to give Adrian some good looks and we accomplished that to some degree," coach Jay Gruden said. "But I wish we would've done a little bit better job in the passing game today."

Keenum was 12 of 18 for 148 yards before giving way to backup Chad Kelly.

SANDERS SHINES

The Broncos' first-team offense scored two touchdowns and added a field goal in five series of work, led by dual-threat receiver Emmanuel Sanders. He was responsible for all 75 of Denver's yards on its second touchdown drive, catching passes of 15 and 33 yards from Keenum and scoring on a 27-yard end-around . Sanders finished with 88 all-purpose yards.

"As far as what we showcased tonight after this game, I would say, yeah, we're ready to go out and play against anybody and we can win, we can compete," said Sanders, who finished with 88 all-purpose yards. "Going in there as an offensive unit and how we performed in the first half putting up 17 points Larry Johnson Jersey , it was something we can build off of."

MOP-UP LYNCH

After Kelly was 7 of 11 for 70 yards in the third quarter, the Broncos turned to demoted QB Paxton Lynch to finish the game when up 26-10. The 2016 first-round pick completed three of seven pass attempts for 39 yards and had a 5-yard rush in what was as much a trade audition as a chance to show Denver brass he should stick around.

"We'll see," said coach Vance Joseph, who refused to label Kelly or Lynch the Nos. 2 or 3 QBs. "We have one more game next week and Chad should play a lot along with Paxton, so that's yet to be determined."

NATIONAL ANTHEM

Broncos LB Brandon Marshall and WR Demaryius Thomas again were absent from the sideline during the national anthem and jogged out of the tunnel immediately after. Every Redskins player stood on the sideline, as they did in their first two preseason games.

INJURIES

Broncos: S Shamarko Thomas left with an eye injury and was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. ... Marshall was evaluated for a concussion but returned.

Redskins: Kelley, supplanted as the starter by Peterson, was injured on kickoff coverage and evaluated for a stinger. He returned and had eight carries for 19 yards. ... RB Chris Thompson and TE Jordan Reed, coming off surgeries, were held out.
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