BOSTON — Doc Rivers did not seem to be intentionally making reference to Johan Santana's feat Friday night when the Celtics coach compared Rajon Rondo's strong play in the Eastern Conference Finals to a pitcher throwing a no-hitter.
After Rondo scored 44 points in Boston's loss to the Miami Heat in Game 2, the Celtics point guard came through with a much less gaudy but still impressive 21 points and 10 assists in Game 3. Yet Rivers said he did not offer any special message to Rondo about changing his approach.
"I [approach him] like a pitcher throwing a no-hitter," Rivers said after the Celtics' 101-91 win Friday. "You stay away from that joker. The guy scored 44 points. What can I possibly tell him? I didn't tell him a word.
"I was asked a lot. I told him to keep running the team. The only thing we told him offensively was we had to get Kevin involved. Other than that, just go play."
During the Celtics game, Santana finished off the first no-hitter in New York Mets history. The left-hander struck out six and walked five in the Mets' 8-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
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