Boston Celtics Doc Rivers Is Still Hurting After Finals Loss: This Is Not Bad For Celtics Fans
The 2010 season was a tough one for Doc Rivers. After the Boston Celtics went out and lit up the NBA for a 25 and 5 start, the team would go .500 the rest of the way. The Celtics felt bad luck’s death kiss as the injury bug ravaged the team. Glen Davis broke his thumb being stupid before the season. Kevin Garnett aggravated his knee. Paul Pierce then hurt his foot. Marquis Daniels hurt his thumb to the point he was ineffective. It was only fitting that with a three game to two Finals lead that Kendrick Perkins would blow his knee out. Rivers also had to contend with a Ray Allen that was out of focus at times due to his contract status and possible trade. The Celtics due to injuries were not the deep team that people thought they would be. The bench would be a nonfactor for most of the year due to the injuries of Glen Davis and Marquis Daniels. The Celtics also acquired Nate Robinson for Eddie House. Robinson took some time to learn Boston’s system. Add to that the fact that veteran laden team seemed to go through the motions with guys like Rasheed Wallace not putting much effort during the regular season and one realizes this was a tough year to be Doc Rivers.
Despite all these issues Doc Rivers was only five points or a healthy Kendrick Perkins from an NBA Title. He coached the perfect playoffs until the Finals. He guided the team by Dwayne Wade and the Heat despite limping into the playoffs. He beat the top seeded Cavs and LeBron James. He managed to come up with a defense that stopped the juggernaut that was the Orlando Magic in the playoffs. He even managed to Kobe Bryant relatively in check for the Finals. He overcame LA’s dominance in the paint to remain within a breath of the NBA title. However, this great coaching job was for not because of the game seven loss in the Finals.
This kills Rivers. Rivers would have loved to sail off into the sunset on top. He could have watched his son play without any regret of unfinished business. He could have won a second NBA title and cemented his Celtic Legacy. You realize he knows this with every interview. Every time he brings up his starting five has not lost a series yet, you can see the pain in his eyes. He knows a chance for greatness slipped through his grasps. He knows having not won a title as a player that chances can be few and far between.
He knew he could not go out like that. He knew the gun could be reloaded and the team could make one more major go of it. The starting unit may be older, but still an elite starting unit. Ray Allen is still a lethal shooter. Paul Pierce is still a very dangerous scorer. KG can still play exceptional defense and score. Kendrick Perkins is a rock in the middle. Rajon Rondo is the straw that stirs the drink. The emerging superstar is getting better and better and this makes life a lot easier for the rest of the unit at both ends of the floor. The game seven loss should motivate these men and I fully expect Doc to keep that scar visible.
Danny Ainge made it clear that the team would fix the flaws from last year. The bench is deeper than any incarnation from last year. Role players like Delonte West, Von Wafer, Luke Harangody, and Avery Bradley were added to the Marquis Daniels, Glen Davis, and Nate Robinson mix. The team also has needed size in Jermaine O’Neal and Shaq. This team should also be more hungry and have revenge on its’ mind after such a hurtful loss. Focus should not be an issue this year. The disrespect of Miami being favored only adds more fuel to the competitive fire.The Boston Celtics will be a better team next year. Pain is a powerful motivator. Doc feels it. Next year the rest of the NBA will feel his pain when Boston is unleashed. Banner 18 is a serious notion.
Boston Celtics Danny Ainge Deserves A+ For Deep Celtic Roster
When the off season began, the Boston Celtics had a million questions. Despite being only five points or a healthy Perkins away from banner 18, the team was seriously close to being blown up. Doc Rivers might not have returned due to his family. Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Marquis Daniels, Nate Robinson, and Tony Allen were all free agents. The team that was already a weak rebounding team and missing size was also out Kendrick Perkins until at least January. This left Ainge in a tight spot. However, in a tight spot, Danny handled the situation the way he handled situations on the court as a player: He came out firing intelligently.
Danny knew that the team needed be reloaded for another run. They came too close in 2010 to start over. If Ainge felt this team should be blown up that decision would have been made at the trade deadline and Ray Allen would not have helped shoot Boston to the NBA Finals. The first order of business was Doc Rivers. I know the decision was Doc’s. However, I am sure Danny had more than a few conversations with his coach to stoke his competitive fire. Doc made it clear early on that he would be in. This helped Danny finalize contracts for both Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. Doc on board signaled to them that the team was reloading. The nucleus was in place, now to build around the five starters that carried this team to the Finals. The starting unit can compete with any team. They complement each other’s games so well. Ray’s outside shooting creates space. Paul’s scoring creates space. KG’s scoring and on the defensive end making them all better. Rondo is the engine that runs the show with his speed and passing. Perkins is the beast that does the dirty work in the middle.
Danny knew that his team had flaws last season despite making a run to the NBA Finals. Danny also knew that his cap space meant that he would have to do some major work convincing guys Boston was the place to be. Danny knew he needed a bench that was very diverse and deep to compete and thrive in the new look tougher East.
The draft yielded two solid players in Avery Bradley and Luke Harangody. The signings Boston has made has made Bradley a candidate for the D-League. However, the man is gifted and can score and play defense. He figures to be Rondo’s backup in the future. Harangody is another second round steal by Ainge. Harangody impressed in the Summer League showing a great shot and a nose for rebounds. The team is thin on the small forward front. This means Harangody might get a chance to contribute. No matter what happens this year, Ainge got himself some talent in the 2010 draft that will help Boston down the road.
His first order task was to get size and rebounding. Knowing that teams needing a center would look at Jermaine O’Neal, Danny acted quickly. Despite being injured and struggling in the playoffs, O’Neal was the most talented big man out there. He offered the former all star the mid level exception and locked him up early. He actually locked him up before signing Pierce and Allen. This was another move to let his stars know that the team was reloading for a crack at the ring. Danny targeted Tony Allen next, but was spurned when that piece of human excrement, Chris Wallace, signed him despite having zero need for him. No worries. Danny went to plan B. He resigned both Nate Robinson and Marquis Daniels. This time Marquis will be in his natural role like the one he held in Indiana and flourished .Marquis may be injury prone, but the man needs a big year and this was the right kind of gamble for Ainge. Nate will have the benefit of a full training camp. The lethal shooter knows his role is instant offense and should thrive. The Celtics then took a chance on former Rocket Von Wafer. Wafer struggled overseas after staring in a role for the Rockets in 09. He failed a physical to come back to the NBA last year and left humbled. Wafer needs a big year to continue his NBA dream. Thus the Celtics wisely gambled on the athletic scorer.
The team still needed a big man. Early on Shaquille O’Neal voiced his desire to come to Boston. However, his price was too high. Like a genius, Ainge waited Shaq out and got him for the veteran minimum instead of the 8 million that he wanted. This was some of Ainge’s best work.
The team had one more roster spot and only the veteran minimum. He ends up getting a man that was a key player on Cleveland’s two 60 win seasons. They get a guy that they are familiar with and that has playoff experience in Delonte West. West can play backup point guard or shooting guard. He is a gritty defender and even if he plays the point guard spot on the second unit, he can guard the two guard to make Nate Robinson more effective as a player.
What Danny has done is build a very deep basketball team. Miami may be the most top heavy talented team in the league with Wade, LeBron, and Bosh, but the Celtics now can stack a lot of talented players up against Miami. They also now have the size to match up with teams like LA. The fact the team is so deep at the guard spot means that the team can also throw a ton of defenders at guys like Kobe and Wade. They can give different defensive looks to these great players. They also have a lot more fouls to use. The bench of Glen Davis, Shaq, Nate Robinson, Marquis Daniels, and Delonte West could start for an NBA team and do all right. Do not forget rookie Luke Harangody and Von Wafer. What will they do to another team’s bench? I also believe Danny is not done targeting Portland’s Rudy Fernandez as a final piece to give the team ridiculous depth at the small forward spot. He still has the contracts to make that happen.
Under the shadow of the Miami signings, Danny has put together one of the deepest teams the NBA has seen. He kept together and added to the team that was so close to the promise land in 2010.Paul Pierce had a lot to say this offseason. He should begin training camp with the words thank you Danny for putting me another position for Banner 18. Anything les than an NBA title is a failure for this team. Danny did his job, it is up to Doc and the players to bring it home from here.
Boston Celtics Signing Delonte West The Last Roster Spot Is Filled
The Boston Celtics are about to sign Delonte West according to the Boston Herald. The contract is a non guaranteed contract, but I fully expect the team to keep the one time Celtic. I do not think he will have a problem beating out Oliver Lafayette. This was one of the worst kept secrets as reports from people saying West was looking for apartments near Waltham and he was in town for a physical surfaced.
The Boston Celtics are getting a steal with the veteran minimum for a guy that can bring a lot to the table for Boston. Delonte can handle the point and give Rondo a spell. He can also defend both guard spots very real. He also has a decent shot and score off the drive. The man is gritty and tough. A man that has been a big part of a sixty win team the last three years that is still young is a steal for Ainge. The only negative is his mental state. This should not be a problem seeing as how he played well all of last year with this weapons case looming. He is also coming home to Doc Rivers, the man he credits with mentoring him and keeping him in check early in his career.
Does this mean Ainge is done? I doubt it. As much as I love Marquis Daniels, Luke Harangody, and Tony Gaffney, they are not the true wing player at small forward that Danny still covets. Look for the Rudy Fernandez trade talks to continue. However, enjoy the fact that Danny Ainge has again added another piece to a championship puzzle.
Boston Celtics Have Delonte West In Town For A Presigning Physical?
I’m going to pass this along with one huge caveat: This is an unconfirmed email we just got. It says Delonte is at New England Baptist Hospital right now getting a pre-signing physical. Again… this is an unsubstantiated rumor … Red’s Army (Great Site)
If this is true, this has great impact on the roles of Boston’s bench. The Celtics would have Marquis Daniels, Luke Harangody, and Tony Gaffney as the teams’ small forwards off the bench. This also means the Celtics would have a guard rotation of Rondo, Ray Allen, Nate Robinson, Von Wafer, and Delonte West. This means the end for Oliver Lafayette and zero minutes for Avery Bradley barring injury. However, do not rule out another trade for Rudy Fernandez just yet because the Celtics still have pieces to make a deal work.
West would bring great defense and grit at the two guard position. He can handle the point at times. This would mean Nate Robinson could slide to the two guard and still have a defender out there that can cover the two guard. Delonte at the veteran minimum would be a nice move by Danny Ainge. Stay tuned to see if this is a real report or a bad joke.
Chicago Bulls Legend Michael Jordan’s Legacy Has Roots In Boston
But he did circle back to his 63 points against the Celtics in the 1986 playoffs, a performance that inspired Larry Bird to proclaim, “I think it’s just God disguised as Michael Jordan.” That expression of appreciation and acceptance from one of his contemporaries, Jordan said, propelled him.
“Up to that point, there were so many media guys saying, ‘Yeah, he’s good, but he’s not in the same class as Magic Johnson and Larry Bird,’” Jordan said. “And here in that game, I earned Larry Bird’s respect. And to me, that said I was on the right track to becoming a better basketball player. … He gave me the type of confidence that I needed at that level from a player. That to me was the biggest compliment I had at that particular time.
“After the so-called freeze-out [at the 1985 All-Star Game] and a lot of other things and a lot of competitive jealousies within the league,” Jordan said, “coming from him, that said I was doing the right things on the basketball court.”
Jordan from his retirement speech courtesy of CBS sportsline Mike Berger.
It amazes me how one moment can truly be the catapult to great things. Being from Boston, I always wondered how much this moment meant to Jordan. I remember being captivated at this young man dropping otherworldly shots against the vaunted Celtics defense and being floored. The performance was awe inspiring. Nobody did that to the 86 Celtics.
During his hall of fame speech, I heard him speak those words. You truly realize the grip the man has on the way people viewed him, history of the game, and his place now. Jordan knew he was entrenched in the Shadow of Bird and Magic Johnson. The All Star Game Freeze out by Zeke Thomas (Isaiah Jealous of another talent? Does not sound like him, Right?) left Jordan’s confidence shaken. I find it amazing that the man I feel embodies confidence and winning was shaken. Larry Bird to the rescue?
Bird was never a guy that was warm to the opposition, but he knew the greatness he witnessed in Jordan. Larry saw a man that was as competitive as him and respected that. I guess he knew the feeling on Jordan and gave him a friendly rub. People forget Jordan was viewed early on as a guy that scored, played D, but was not a winner or a team player. He was young and played in the shadows of Bird and Johnson. He would swallow the ball and keep shooting. People saw his stats and looked for a way to rip him. After that moment, it was O.k. to be like Mike. It was all of a sudden understood he did not have much a team around him and he needed to shoot. When he got better players around him, he differed a little. This helped shed the previous image a little more and made him that much more dangerous. However, I wonder with his psyche wounded and confidence slightly being questioned, would he have spring boarded himself if Larry had not opened his mouth with kind words. I believe he would have found his moment eventually. Cream rises to the top, but I believe it is cool that Larry Legend did have a role in the evolution of Jordan.
Seeing how Jordan responded to Larry and Magic’s shadow also makes me think of current players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James playing in the shadow of Jordan. At least they are not playing at the same time like Jordan did with Bird and Johnson. Will the future be as kind to them as it was to Mike? Probably not because Jordan’s image is that of the unstoppable force with his six rings, gold medals, MVPs, and persona of I am the guy that is winning Period!
Kobe has the titles and is the closest thing to Jordan, but he still does not give me the aura of invincibility like Jordan did. In Kobe’s defense his competitive fire is strong. Jordan is just a hair better. Kobe is great and will go down as the best of his generation, but not at Jordan’s level because of the 08 title loss to Boston in his prime. I cannot see Jordan losing like Kobe did in game six. Ever. He also is not as physically big as Jordan. Jordan had a slightly lager frame to work with and made him able to overpower more opponents than Bryant. However, genetics are not Jordan’s fault and he used them to his advantage.
LeBron has not turned into a winner, yet and I wonder if his move to Miami will change that. LeBron just does not have that it factor. The fact he constantly needs to hype himself up, ran away to Miami, and has to call himself the “King” on the court shows me that LeBron lacks the confidence in him to be the man. Can you ever picture Jordan saying he left the Bulls after losing to the Pistons saying on the way out I did not want to be 30 years old with bad knees and zero rings? Jordan never would have joined a team like that. He wanted to kill his competition. Knowing greats like Barkley, Malone, Stockton, and Ewing did not win rings because of his greatness makes Jordan the competitor smile. Jordan said it himself; he wanted to beat the best. LeBron just does not understand that kind of competitive fire.
Bottom line there is only One Michael Jordan. There never will be one quite like him and in 1986 maybe Larry was the first to really see and comment on it from a player’s perspective. Perhaps Jordan’s legacy is not as great ,if not for Bird. Score another one for Bird.
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