The win helped to put the Celtics head coach in a good mood, of course, as it assured the Celtics of a berth in the conference semifinals for the fifth straight year. He even managed to joke about the Philadelphia 76ers, an opponent that beat his team twice in three meetings during the regular season, with both losses coming by wide margins.
"That's the greatest team to pick to play," Rivers said, tongue in cheek. "We've got a bunch of gazelles coming here and they only beat us by a thousand in two of our three games."
The Celtics host the Sixers in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series on Saturday evening, but the Celtics knew they would have been playing Saturday no matter what. Had the Celtics lost Thursday, they would have been headed to Atlanta for Game 7.
Now they do not have to get on a plane, and instead will sleep in their own beds for the next five to six days.
"It's a short turnaround," Rivers said. "I was hoping for Sunday or Monday, but it is what it is. I'd rather be going to Game 1 here than Game 7 in Atlanta."
Paul Pierce, who limped through the final three games of the series with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee, could use more than one day of rest. In fact, he will not get even one day of true rest, as the Celtics practice Friday is their only opportunity to practice before Game 1.
While admitting he was sore, Pierce said he was not affected by the quick changeover.
"You've got to be ready to bounce back Saturday," Pierce said. "One day of play, one day of rest, this is it. We might never have this opportunity again."
The next series begins sooner rather than later. The way the Celtics see it, that is better than the series not beginning at all.
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