The debate is whether Marcus Smart will be able to stop Curry in the NBA Finals. (1:45)
The Boston Celtics are back in the NBA Finals for the first time in more than a decade, but first-year coach Ime Udoka said that is not cause for celebration.
Udoka said that they were not hanging a banner for winning the Eastern Conference. I think the mindsets of guys have changed quickly.
Enjoy it. Guys like that, and you have this time off. Guys are already talking about the bigger picture when they are in the locker room after Game 7.
This is not what we came to do. You enjoy it and move on quickly.
Finding a way to beat the Golden State Warriors, who won three titles and made five trips to the NBA Finals in a row before missing the playoffs each of the past two seasons, is the task.
Golden State has 123 games of NBA Finals experience. Boston does not have a single player on its roster who has played in a Finals game.
Udoka pointed to the experience he and his assistant coaches have in Finals, including assistant Ben Sullivan winning a title with the Milwaukee Bucks last year, and Udoka himself winning a title.
Udoka said that he knows what's going on and that he has already shared some of the stories with his staff. We will have some meetings with the group to discuss those things. We have a mature group, especially with our younger guys. Our veterans are always very level-headed and keeping us in line. I am not worried about the younger guys that haven't been on this stage. They got to the Eastern Conference finals multiple times, so we know what to expect.
We know what we are here to play for, and I don't think any of our guys are intimidated at the moment. We know what it is. The opponent is in front of us. This year has been business as usual for us. Going on the road was not a problem. We are really looking forward to it. There was not much anxiousness or nervousness. We have this time that we will take advantage of, as far as rest and preparation, and be ready to go by Game 1.
As part of that rest and preparation, the Celtics will be able to give Robert Williams III a break from left knee soreness that has plagued him throughout the playoffs, and for Smart to get a break from a variety of ailments up and down his right leg.
Williams missed three games against the Milwaukee Bucks in the conference semifinals and Game 3 against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals because of a bone bruise in his left knee, the same injury that caused him to miss the end of the regular season and the beginning.
Williams will have to manage his knee throughout the rest of the playoffs, but Udoka said the rest would be beneficial for him.
Udoka said that Rob was all right. He was feeling good. He played 14 in the Game 7 against Miami. We tried to keep him in the lower portion. Obviously, that's beneficial for him going forward, but the days off as well. He should feel better. Getting looked at today and will continue to get his treatment and rehabilitation in order to get swelling down and some of the pain and mobility back. It is going to be an ongoing thing. Throughout the playoffs, he's day-to-day pretty much.
Williams should benefit from the spread-out nature of the NBA Finals, with two days off between Games 3 and 4 in Boston, according to Udoka.
With the two days off in between games, he should feel better, as opposed to playing every other day. Going back to the Milwaukee series, we had played 17 days in a row every other day, and so that will take a toll on you coming off a surgery. We keep his minutes down and get him back to feeling better, that will benefit us going forward.
Udoka said Smart is fine after playing heavy minutes in Boston's Game 7 win over Miami.
Udoka said there was no concern about that. As time goes by, that will go away.
He was able to play through a lot of pain and played a lot of minutes in Game 7.
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