Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
“If we win the title, do you think that Jersey loss is going to mean anything? And then if we didn’t, maybe you can say, ‘Well, it all started in the Jersey game.’ So that stuff doesn’t bother me. But I’m so above that crap. My focus is on our team, not who you lose to.”
At the end of the day it’s about winning in the playoffs. And if that credo describes the Celtics’ mind-set, it has to start bearing fruit now, not in late April. Rivers doesn’t want to saddle his players with ownership of the problem.
“They do take some, but at the end of the day I put it on me to find that right combination that will turn on the next combination,” he said. “I’ve been in that continued search for that, but I don’t ever put that on the players. At the end of the day it’s got to be me. I have to figure out a great way of getting them motivated, and picking the right spots.
Herald: Doc's Medicine: Bitter Pill
Doc is doing the right thing by trying to take all the responsibility... leaving it to Danny Ainge, or people like us, to blast the players for the recent stretch of poor play.
But honestly... when you watch the games the Celtics have won recently.. has Doc done ANYTHING different? Hasn't it been the players who have stepped up and made plays that they haven't been making?
Sure, Nate Robinson has helped spark the second unit. But he's not the difference here. The difference is Kevin Garnett playing better. It's Perk stepping up and making some huge blocks when Philly was trying claw their way back into things. It's Rondo remembering he can pretty much get to the basket at will.
Doc didn't draw up anything special. He didn't throw crazy combinations out there. The Celtics just played better.
Coming up, Page 2... where a fan became part of the team... sort of.
Photo by Elsa/Getty ImagesAs Garnett was eventually replaced, he took a seat between Shelden Williams and Hill. He turned to Doc Rivers and, trying to catch his breath, said something to the effect of he is still trying to get used to Nate when he replaces Rondo at the point. Doc didn’t hear him and asked Garnett to repeat it. Garnett, still unable to fill his lungs with air, told him “nevermind.” It was so human. These guy’s really are human.
The buzzer sounded and the third quarter was over. The Celtics had taken a 74-67 advantage behind Rondo’s 14 points and KG’s strong picks and defensive intensity. The differences between the player’s is incredible.
Perkins and Garnett seemed intense and focused. Though Garnett is more vocal, it seemed most of his teammates did not pay much attention to him barking at them. Perk was silent the whole time though really honed in on the activity on the court. Rondo never stopped talking to Doc the entire time on the floor. Ray Allen smiled a lot and frequently mumbled to himself. I think I found Paul Pierce to be the most intriguing of the starters. He was having a sub-par game but didn’t stop encouraging his teammates for a moment. When he took the bench in the third quarter, he laughed with Tyrone Lue, sitting directly behind him. Paul smiled a lot. That’s something you don’t see that often on TV.
North Station: My experience on the Celtics bench for 24 minutes
That's Nick Gelso of North Station running down his experience sitting right behind the Celtics bench for the Philly game. It's nice to see someone who can appreciate a seat like that get a chance to have that experience. It's a good read.
The rest of the links:
Herald: Celtics need convincing | Up and down Pierce looks to find rhythm | ESPN Boston: On and Off | 1,000 game club | Globe: Streak gives lift to Celtics | CSNNE: Rondo waiting for word on National Team | Souza: The evolution of KG | Celtics Hub: Bias in officiating | Will coaches listen to stat heads? | Gino's Jungle: Sheed might be coming around | CSL: Kevin Garnett is the Celtics golden ticket