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Celtics Ahead Of Rebuild Schedule? Wyc Grousbeck Answers On Zolak & Bertrand

BOSTON (CBS) - Boston co-owner Wyc Grousbeck joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Zolak & Bertrand program Wednesday afternoon for an all-encompassing interview for all things Celtics.

The NBA Coach Of The Year honor will likely go to Atlanta's Mike Budenholzer or Golden State's Steve Kerr, who each led their respective teams to 60+ win seasons seemingly out of nowhere.

No worse than third on that list should be Celtics leading man Brad Stevens, who guided a team with no expectations to the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference after 11 trades and 41 different players on the roster in 2014-15.

Grousbeck knew Stevens was the right man for the job when he hired him on July 3, 2013.

"The first thing that came to mind was when I met him and interviewed him with Danny [Ainge], [co-owner] Steve [Pagliuca] and Mike Zimmerman, I really had that strong feeling and that hope. I didn't know then, but I felt really strongly that he was the right guy," Grousbeck told Zo and Beetle.

"We had done our homework, thought about it and wanted a real basketball mind and someone that would mesh well with Danny and not push back; push back when you need to push back, but don't just be old school. We wanted a new wave coach and a new way of thinking. When I met Brad it was similar to the way I met Doc [Rivers]. I felt this was the guy for that team, for that time and for that build."

Even though Grousbeck is pleased with the way his team is trending, he knows his head coach is still not satisfied.

"Over these two years he'd be the first to say he's made strides and he's made steps, but he doesn't feel he's even halfway done to being a great coach," Grousbeck added.

The expectations for this Celtics team were understandably low entering the season after finishing the previous year with just 25 wins. Most fans would have been fine flirting with the eighth seed/NBA Lottery conundrum, but here we are in mid-April and Boston is guaranteed at least four playoff games against LeBron James and the Cavaliers.

Grousbeck had an interesting answer when asked if he thought his team was "ahead of schedule" on the rebuilding process.

"I sort of feel like these things aren't scheduled. All of a sudden you do great, then all of a sudden you have a setback. We kind of did a scheduled four-year build last time. We aimed towards Kevin Garnett, quite honestly, figured [his contract] was coming up in '07; that was Danny's insight. We kind of built towards that day. We had a Plan B and a Plan C if Garnett wasn't available. It all kind of worked out. That sort of did go to schedule, but it very easily could have went off schedule," Grousbeck told the midday show.

"I understand the question, but it's foolish to think you'll do 25 percent a year for four years and magically think you're going to get there. I guess I just feel like we've got the right coach, the right general manager, a really good young core and I like watching those guys plays. I think we have to add some more talent one way or another as these guys grow into their talent if we really want to be an elite team. We're not there yet. Hopefully that can happen in the next few years."

Grousbeck also talked about his excitement for the playoffs and much more.

Listen below:

Hear every game of the 2014-15 Boston Celtics playoff run on 98.5 The Sports Hub — the flagship station of the Boston Celtics. Pregame coverage with Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell begins 30 minutes prior to every game!

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