Brad Stevens has said that the Boston Celtics are progressing well ahead of the start of the 2013-14 NBA season.

The 36-year-old, who has never managed in the league before, was appointed as the team's new head coach during the summer.

Stevens told ESPN: "I'm in pretty good shape. I've got a great staff and they've been great about answering any questions that I would have had.

"I think now it's like anything else, you have to come up with a progression for getting as much in as you possibly can in a very short amount of time. Also, a philosophy on how you're going to treat the exhibition games and the exhibition season with the practice opportunities during that month.

"It's settled down a little bit in the last couple weeks, kinda the calm before the storm now. A good number of players have been in town, off and on, for the last couple of weeks. And now, a pretty good number [of players] this week. We're all getting ready for October 1 and the start of it."

Stevens previously coached college side Butler Bulldogs.