 |
DOC RIVERS His best squad |
PHILADELPHIA - The Celtics have perennial All-Stars in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, one of the league's best young players in Rajon Rondo, and recent veteran additions in Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown. With its league-best 49-12 record after Saturday night's 119-89 rout of the Grizzlies in Memphis, an argument can be made that Boston has the best, and deepest, roster in the league.
But coach Doc Rivers hasn't gotten too excited yet, because the team hasn't proven anything in the postseason.
"[Having] talent is one thing, but I don't look at it that way," Rivers said. "I see a team coming together. Individual talent? I saw a team [in Philadelphia in 1977] with George McGinnis and World B. Free, Dr. J. [Julius Erving] get their [butts] kicked. I saw a Portland Trail Blazers team [beat them] with the only star on the team in Bill Walton.
"If you just trace our league, talent means nothing. Obviously, you have to win. Talent with an agenda is more important. We have good names, Sam and P.J. and the other guys that we have. But they are just names."
The coach, in his fourth season with the Celtics, did acknowledge, however, that this is the best roster he's had, and in Orlando he had Tracy McGrady and Grant Hill.
"I've never had a roster like this as a coach," Rivers said. "Most coaches don't."
It doesn't get much deeper than Celtics teams of the 1950s and 1960s with such stars as Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, Don Nelson, Tom Heinsohn, Sam Jones, and K.C. Jones, who helped win the majority of the franchise's NBA-best 16 titles. The 1980s Celtics had Larry Bird, Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, Dennis Johnson, and Danny Ainge.
Until today's Celtics win a championship, Ainge, now the team's general manager, doesn't believe it's worth comparing eras.
"Oh boy, [that's] hard," he said. "The league is different. The competition is different. The Celtics of the '60s and the Celtics of the '80s are some of the best teams ever. This team has to win to be compared to those teams. I think it's unfair to compare today's team to Celtics teams past until they have a few years run on it."
While Rivers has a talented roster, he also has the challenge of convincing everyone to put aside their agendas.
"Doc has done a great job," Ainge said. "He has a great staff that helps him. He's a leader. They need a leader like Doc. He's done a good job coaching veterans and working with the young guys."
With the addition of Cassell and Brown, several Celtics will have their roles changed or minutes cut. Rivers believes it won't be an issue since his players are committed to winning.
"There are always concerns about that for teams that don't want to win," Rivers said. "When you want to win, no one really cares about their minutes. They are focused on winning. When you want to perform individually, you focus on minutes. I don't think we have that type of team."
Rivers, who was Coach of the Year in 2000 while with Orlando, seemed to take the added pressure in stride when much was made about the new "Big Three" of Garnett, Allen, and Pierce before the season began.
"You can fall in love with names," Rivers said. "I fall in love with productivity. As far as depth, our names are good. We have to mesh as a group. If we do that, then we're deep."
"Pressure's a privilege. You want it. That's what you're in it for."
Cassell could make his debut tonight against the Sixers . . . The Celtics didn't practice after flying to Philadelphia yesterday . . . In his second game with Boston, Brown had 2 points and two rebounds in eight minutes in Saturday night's romp. "I really felt a little bit more comfortable than I did [Friday against Chicago]," Brown said. "I just have to keep working. I have a lot of work [to do]. But I think I'm a little bit ahead of where I thought I was."
Marc J. Spears can be reached at mspears@globe.com
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.
