The Boston Celtics are piecing together their squad for another championship run in 2010-2011, and on Thursday they announced the hiring of ex-New Jersey Nets Head Coach Lawrence Frank as the new assistant to Doc Rivers.
Frank replaces former assistant, Tom Thibodeau, who departed in early June to take the head coaching position with the Chicago Bulls.
After spending six-plus seasons as the head coach for the Nets, Frank lost the position due to the team's 0-16 start in the 2009-2010 season. Before those struggles, however, Frank saw an extremely successful start to his tenure with the Nets in January of 2004. After the sudden firing of Byron Scott, Frank was named interim head coach and led the team to 13 consecutive victories, making him the first coach to compile such a winning streak at the start of their career.
Frank is optimistic about his one-year contract with the Celtics, according to the New Jersey Star Ledger, and is pleased with the recent signings of Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. He also believes the team will be contenders for the championship, even with the recent threat of a new 'Big Three' in Miami.
"The window is definitely still open," Frank said. "This team showed its commitment by re-signing Paul [Pierce], Kevin Garnett got stronger as the season went on last year, Ray Allen obviously has plenty left in the tank, and Rajon Rondo is an emerging superstar. Now we just need [Kendrick] Perkins to get healthy."
No stranger to playoff situations, Frank led the Nets to postseason appearances in four consecutive seasons (2003-2007). He compiled a 225-241 record during his career in Newark.
