While the NBA focus has been on the three superstars wearing Miami Heat uniforms, the Boston Celtics have their own three superstars preparing for the new season. Coach Doc Rivers stirred some controversy when he questioned the Lakers championship win last season. Kendrick Perkins was injured and Doc Rivers suggested that the Lakers had not beaten his starting five. Obviously, Doc Rivers was providing some summer inspiration to his players and a poke at the champion Lakers. 

While the Celtics focus on returning to the finals again in the coming season, Doc Rivers has three main task to juggle in the regular season:

1.  Kevin Garnett is returning for his 16th NBA campaign. Garnett now has had more time since his knee surgery and appears to be in good form, during the initial days of training camp. However, Garnett is 34 years old and has many NBA miles on those legs. The task for Doc Rivers will be to limit Garnett's playing time so that he is relatively fresh for the post season play. The addition of Jermaine O'Neal and Shaquille O'Neal should provide sufficient rest for Garnett. Glen Davis will provide experienced support from the bench. Having Kevin Garnett ready for the playoffs will mean that Doc Rivers may have to be creative with his bench rotation during the regular season. He will have to control Garnett's competitive nature, even if it is at the expense of some possible victories in close games.

2.  It is a frequently repeated basketball axiom that 'defense wins championships'. In recent years, Boston has been noted for its stinginess in allowing other teams to have good opportunities to score. Part of that defensive focus has been having veteran players who recognize the importance of making critical stops. Another critical factor has been the defensive genius of assistant coach Tom Thibodeau, who worked tirelessly on stopping opposing offenses. Now, Thibodeau is the head coach of the Chicago Bull and no longer creating defensive schemes for the Celtics. He will be difficult to replace. Doc Rivers has to continue the focus on defense and find some way to fill the gap left by Thibodeau's departure. 

3.  Last season, there were hints of dissension in the Celtics locker room. For the most part, that internal friction was kept away from the press and handled internally. Some of the discord, however, did leak out to the Celtics basketball beat reporters:

     "...  The Celtics’ locker room is fractured. There are the old schoolers (Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Michael Finley), the Sheed crew (Wallace, Robinson, and Daniels), and the future stars (Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins), while the rest bounce from group to group."

link:  Not according to plan

The Celtics have added stars such as Jermaine O'Neal and Shaquille O'Neal. These are players who are used to being the focus of attention and playing a central role on the court. Now they are bench players and possibly might see limited time on the court. The possibility of further team friction looms, with enormous egos involved. 

Doc Rivers will have to ensure that the problems from last season do not continue. Further, he has to incorporate the new additions to the roster into his basketball approach. While he is keeping these issues in mind, he has to motivate millionaires to play a school-yard game and maintain the Celtics tradition. 

It's an odd job and a marathon, not a sprint, to the NBA finals in June 2011. 

 

Catherine Forsythe

 

Celtics Coach Doc Rivers: June 2010

 

[Photo credit: REUTERS/Mike Blake]