Brad Stevens’ predecessor doesn’t see what all the fuss is about.
The Boston Celtics haven’t met expectations this season, mere months after reaching Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals without Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. There’s been a bunch of drama, namely related to Irving’s future and leadership inside a locker room full of young talent, and Stevens’ coaching prowess occasionally has been questioned as a result of Boston’s inconsistency.
But Doc Rivers, who preceded Stevens as head coach of the Celtics for nine seasons (2004-13) before joining the Los Angeles Clippers, believes Boston will be just fine. The outside noise and occasional hiccups simply come with the territory of being a good team.
“It’s all humorous to me,” Rivers, whose Clippers will face the Celtics on Monday night at Staples Center, said Sunday, according to the Boston Herald. “I just think they’re going to be great. They’re going to be fine when the playoffs start.
“I think when you go to the Finals or the Eastern Conference finals, it takes a while. Sometimes you can go get your team. Sometimes you have to wait on your team. And sometimes your team just comes around. I think that’s them. They’ve had their issues, like every team in the NBA has issues at times — at times. Just because you have issues at times doesn’t mean you have issues, by the way.
“They’re going to be fine. They are as good as anybody in the East and as talented as anybody in the NBA. And when the playoffs start, I think everybody will see that.”
The Celtics entered Monday with a 41-26 record. They sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, one game behind both the Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers.
Boston lost five of its first six games after the NBA All-Star break but since has won three in a row on its current four-game West Coast swing. A strong finish to the road trip Monday would lend even more credence to Rivers’ theory.
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