Charles Claxton, who had a cup of coffee with the Boston Celtics during his own playing days, coached Nicolas up until his son’s eighth-grade season. These days, Nicolas is carving his own path, yet his dad remains his biggest mentor. “It’s funny because everything I tell him, he already knows,” Charles said over the weekend. “He’s only (almost) 22, but he’s been around the game from a young age. We used to watch NBA games together, so his knowledge of the game is very high. I’ll point out a couple things that he can do better, but he knows. “I’ve told him since he was young, ‘Put pressure on the coach.’ Meaning, if you’re good enough, then they’ll try to find a way to play you.”
