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June 6, 2008
Doc and Big Three aren't satisfied; Rivers understands what it means to be a Celtic
Doc Rivers pre-game comments revealed something about the team's desire to win it all, as opposed to be saying they are happy to be there.
It is also worth mentioning that the national media have dropped the ball on the under riding story and hidden strength of this Celtic team. It is the well known, but little mentioned fact, that none of the three stars on the Celtics have won an NBA title in their careers. I would say it is so obvious as to not need repeating except for one little fact...the dearth of national experts who picked the Cs to accomplish their goal. It is not only underestimated, it's being ignored like your ex-wife at a party.
The media jumped on the rolling Laker bandwagon, with an imitation Michael Jordan, one Kobe Bryant, newly non-selfish, but the ever spoiled star, once they added Pau Gasol, an underachieving, second tier star. The marriage of media and 'Laker-lock' syndrome reached fusion threshold right after they conquered the Spurs 4 games to 1.
National guys should know better. Three hungry stars vs one who has already won a few championships? It should, at least be an even set of expectations if not skewered in the Celtics favor. They had the best record, the best defense, and the biggest turnaround in NBA history. They are also far more experienced in age and play-off experience combined than the Lakers. Don't those things mean anything? How about the fact that they all came together for one reason only - to win the title that eluded them individually? What could be more powerful of a motivator?
That is not to say that is a done deal. The Celtics haven't run roughshod over their play-off opponents. They have simply done just enough to continue toward their elusive dream.
Don't let the early play-off stumbles fool you. They are all part of the process. This team is deeply talented, if not always able to maximize that talent. Understand the problem here. This is the three stars' first play-off together and each of the players' games have been sacrificed to get here. There are things they have kept in their pockets that are usable at anytime.
As a group, they understand what it means to be Celtic. Anything less than winning it all is a disappointment to Celtics' history, and yes, to these three players.
Doc Rivers knows this quite well. As the head coach, he is the 'manager' of the goal. He knows that being a Boston Celtic has a special historical significance in the basketball world
Our goal is not to get here. It's more than that. We've been congratulated all week, but we haven't done what we want (to). Just keep that focus.
When I took the job a lot of coaches were calling me and said, Wow, Why would you go over there with all the...you gotta deal with Bird and Cousy and everybody else. I actually thought that was an odd question. I thought it was good. I've always embraced it.
When I took the job, I wrote to every ex-Celtic, with the help of Jeff Twiss, and invited them back...uhh...I wanted them to come to practices. On the road, I'd liked them to come. I think it's something you could use as an asset, not something that should drag you down.
And it's been great. Just for me to know some personally. I never met John Havlicek until I became the coach of the Celtics and he's always been one of my favorite players. I think it's been used to our advantage for sure.
When others saw a moribund franchise that constantly reminded you of past greatness and present disappointment, Doc Rivers saw a great opportunity to attempt to turn around that franchise. It would be noble, even in the attempt, to one who understood what the Celtics stood for and stand for again.
Doc saw and appreciated what it meant to be a Celtic. He lived the Larry Bird years. He certainly knew of the Dave Cowens era. And everyone with breath in America knows of the Auerbach/Russell dynasty days. Why would anyone want to try to coach with that hanging over their heads?
When I talked to Tony Allen late this very season about how things were before the trade and what he was thinking about, I got a surprise answer from him. He said there was always pressure to play well, even when the team wasn't so good during those pre-Garnett years. In the Celtics practice facility, the original Celtic Championship banners are hanging for all to see. They were too small for the new Garden.
"You come in every day and see those banners (in the practice facility). That's its own pressure."
Pressure? Doc would rather you see it as an asset. His embrace of Celtic alumni is more than respectful. It is smart. Recently, embrace of Celtic history was little more than lip service and frankly, a genuine connection had begun to slip away somewhere in the late 90s. Doc Rivers embraced it, and got his stars to embrace defense and team first thinking.
Not coincidentally, his team is three wins away from embracing the Celtics 17th title. Win or lose, they are trying to do it in a way past Celtic greats would appreciate - the team first, Celtic way.
Posted by Tom on June 6, 2008 9:41 PM
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