Brad Stevens to coach Eastern Conference All-Stars
With the Toronto Raptors' loss to the Orlando Magic on Friday night, Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens earned the opportunity to coach the Eastern Conference All-Stars in New Orleans on Feb. 19.
Rules dictate that each All-Star squad will be led by the coach of the best team in its respective conference. However, the same coach cannot work back-to-back All-Star Games. As a result, Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue is ineligible for the 2017 exhibition.
The Raptors have held onto the No. 2 seed for the better part of the 2016-17 season, but allowed Boston to pass them in the standings after losing eight of their last 10 outings, including Friday's 102-94 defeat at the Amway Center.
"What's nice about it is there's no politics in it," Stevens said following a 113-107 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. "There's no subjectivity. It's what your team has accomplished."
The coaches are expected to be named Feb. 5, and with Toronto mathematically unable to overtake Boston by that deadline, Stevens has clinched the gig.
Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors will coach the Western Conference.
This is the first time Stevens will be coaching an All-Star team, and he'll be the first Celtics coach to do so since Doc Rivers in 2011.