ESPN

WALTHAM, Mass. -- With opening night rapidly approaching, Celtics coach Doc Rivers admitted Sunday that rookie center Semih Erden is questionable for Tuesday's game against the Miami Heat with a sore shoulder.

"Semih is questionable; I don't know what he can give us, honestly," said Rivers. "He may play, he may not. His shoulder is going to take some time."

Rivers initially hinted this weekend that Erden had been battling a previously undisclosed shoulder ailment, explaining a bit of his dip in consistency late in the preseason. Erden appeared in all eight preseason games, averaging 5.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists over 21.8 minutes per game. He scored 13 points in his NBA debut against the 76ers on Oct. 6, but never topped seven points the rest of the way.

The injury hasn't prevented Erden from participating in recent practices and he's actually stayed on the court for additional work after most sessions, but Rivers admitted that the shoulder injury requires monitoring by the team.

"I think he hurt it in a game, but it was hurt before he got here and then he just re-injured it," said Rivers. "And playing against [Shaquille O'Neal] every day in practice can't be a lot of fun."

Erden's injury could thin out some of Boston's depth up front on opening night, especially with starting center Kendrick Perkins sidelined into the new calendar year after offseason knee surgery. With Shaquille O'Neal expected to stat opposite Kevin Garnett in the Celtics' frontcourt, Boston would boast Jermaine O'Neal, Glen Davis, and Luke Harangody as big bodies off the bench.

Jermaine O'Neal (left wrist) got another thumbs up from Rivers Sunday, but Boston's helmsman admitted it was a lighter session and hard to gauge progress. Jermaine O'Neal said Friday he expects to play against the Heat.

"Jermaine is looking better, he had a good practice again [Sunday]," said Rivers. "But we didn't do much today... I think he'll be good and play in the first game."

Rivers hadn't been so optimistic last week, when the injured wrist kept Jermaine O'Neal off the court for a seven-day span. He returned to practice Friday, sporting a brace and revealing he tore cartilage in the wrist while taking a first-quarter charge in an exhibition win in Toronto.

With rookie Avery Bradley still sidelined by ankle soreness, the Celtics could be limited to 11 players Tuesday, with Delonte West set to begin a 10-game suspension to start the regular season.

Chris Bosh said Boston fans hate opponents a little more than most cities. LeBron James thinks the Garden can be an intimidating place to play. And the Heat are expecting a hostile environment for Tuesday's season-opener against the Celtics. From the Heat Index's Michael Wallace:

MIAMI -- It remains to be seen which player scores the first basket for the Miami Heat when they play the most anticipated season opener in franchise history Tuesday night against the Boston Celtics.

But in the budding rivalry, it was clear on Sunday who took Miami's first shot.

“They’re supposed to hate you,” Miami forward Chris Bosh said after Sunday’s practice when asked what reception he expects the Heat to receive at TD Garden on Tuesday night. "You’re the opposing team. And, it’s Boston. They hate people a little bit more than usual cities.”

The new-look Heat might be a work in progress in developing chemistry between their star trio of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Bosh. But when it comes to how the Heat will handle the hostility they expect to face in Boston, the players seemed to be ready and willing after Sunday’s practice.

Bold roster moves have made the Heat the most polarizing team in the league. But Miami’s players and coaches insist their mental makeup is strong enough to overcome challenges they will face on the court and in the court of public opinion.

Still, Wade, James and Bosh have each had their struggles in the past against Boston. James acknowledged Sunday the Celtics were a tremendous hurdle in his path with Cleveland.

Last season, the Celtics beat Wade’s Heat in the first round before getting past James’ Cavaliers on the way to losing to the Lakers in the NBA Finals. Boston was 4-0 against Bosh’s Raptors in the regular season.

“It’s just drive, not animosity toward that team,” said James, whose Cavaliers were eliminated in the conference semifinals by Boston in six games last season. “That’s a great team. But I’ve had my battles with Boston the last few years. We’re going to take the challenge, and it’s going to be fun to start the season as well.”

James has received a mixed reception during the Heat’s road preseason games. He was cheered loudly when the Heat played Oklahoma City on Oct. 8 in Kansas City, but was booed each time he touched the ball during Miami’s Oct. 21 game against the Hawks.

There is no mystery regarding the reaction from Boston fans.

“They bleed green; that’s all they care about,” James said. “We have to be mentally focused and mentally prepared. Some arenas believe and love basketball more than others. Sometimes, more history adds more intimidation. Not saying it’s an intimidation factor for me. It’s never been an intimidation factor for me. But as far as the crowd and as far as the team, Boston is one of those hostile environments to play.”

Click HERE to read the full story.

WALTHAM, Mass. -- A collection of news and notes after the Boston Celtics practiced Sunday afternoon at the Sports Authority Training Center at HealthPoint:

READY FOR NEW OPPONENTS? TEMPERS FLARE FOR WAFER AND WEST



While Shaquille O'Neal sat entertaining a horde of reporters with a steady stream of witty one-liners, things were decidedly testier at the other end of the practice gym.

After the Celtics completed an abbreviated session, a handful of players were brought together for some 2-on-2 exercises with Delonte West and Semih Erden squaring off against Von Wafer and Luke Harangody.

Things got a bit heated when West, displaying his usual full-throttle style, worked over Wafer for consecutive baskets. With Wafer agitated, West shouted twice, "Do something about it." West then went right back at Wafer, aggressively trying to back him down before assistant coach Lawrence Frank called a foul, attempting to prevent things from escalating further.

West again told Wafer to "do something about it," with a not-so complimentary description tagged on at the end. That's when Jermaine O'Neal stepped in, along with Frank, who reminded the players to cool it with the media present. Wafer ultimately retreated to the locker room.

It should be stressed that these types of flare-ups aren't exactly unusual. These are 15 players who have essentially been battling each other every day for a month in preparation for the regular season (with eight cupcake preseason games mixed in). Kevin Garnett often notes how tempers flare and coach Doc Rivers often allows his troops to sort things out on their own. Cooler heads almost always prevail.

"What I love about Doc is that he doesn't mind us being competitive, as long as we don't go off on our own and become a tropical storm," Garnett said during training camp last month. "He lets us be who we are and it does get testy and very competitive in here. He lets us go as long as we're getting something done and working toward our goals."

If anything, Sunday's brief dust-up shows the C's are ready for the regular season and eager to see jerseys that are something other than green and white. It also shows how intense the Celtics are, even during what was supposed to be a breezy Sunday session.

West admitted last week that an extended absence from a left glute injury has pushed him to the back of the depth chart, with Wafer assuming the reserve shooting guard role as West serves a 10-game suspension to start the season. In fact, one could make the case that Wafer remains on the roster in large part because of West's impending suspension.

West, who can often be seen coaching emphatically from the sideline when the starters and reserves lock horns in 5-on-5 work, appeared to be pushing Wafer to improve his level of play, while reminding him of the pecking order when West returns Nov. 17.

In the end, it might be a greater concern if the team skated through practice each day without showing a little fire. Competition almost always brings out the best in players.

DOC'S FOCUS: GETTING SHAQ AND JO COMFORTABLE WITH SCHEMES



Outside of those 2-on-2 battles, the Celtics didn't engage in much contact Sunday, running through their skeleton offense and defensive sets with eyes toward getting the new faces -- particularly Shaquille O'Neal and Jermaine O'Neal -- ready for the start of the season.

"We didn't do much today, really," said Rivers. "I went back and forth on giving them the day off or just getting them to run through some stuff. We did a lot of skeleton today, very little contact. We're just going over our defensive schemes. For us, not having [Kendrick Perkins], we don't have that normal starting five like usual, and we have to really teach. Our [new] guys don’t have it yet, so every day we can be together is good.

"[The new players] just have to get it. Unfortunately for Shaq and J.O., they were injured a lot. When a player plays, you want them to play on instinct. The offense and defense you're running, you hope it's second nature, but it's not there right now. That's why we're working on it."

BRADLEY'S REGIMEN ALTERED IN HOPES OF HELPING ANKLE



The Celtics have altered rookie Avery Bradley's workload to allow his surgically repaired left ankle to strengthen and eliminate the soreness he has felt since getting cleared to return to action.

That has meant no contact for the rookie, who appeared in three preseason games, but only saw one quarter of action, logging 12 minutes in his NBA debut against Philadelphia.

"We have cut back and tried another approach to it," said Rivers. "I think he's going to be a really good player. I just don't know how long it's going to take. It's tough for a rookie to not play at all. Think about it, he hasn't had training camp, he hasn't had multiple games -- he only played one quarter in Philly where you saw what he could bring on defense. Other than that [he hasn't been able to stay on the floor.]"

WALTHAM, Mass. -- A collection of news and notes after the Boston Celtics practiced Saturday afternoon at the Sports Authority Training Center at HealthPoint:

DOC PUTS CLIPBOARD IN PLAYERS' HANDS



A few times each season, Celtics coach Doc Rivers puts the clipboard and dry-erase marker in the hands of his players during situational work and tells them to map out the final play.

Sometimes his players surprise him, like when little-used guard Gabe Pruitt drew up a play that the team actually incorporated later and won a game with on a final possession. Other times, even when his players simply run something out of Rivers' playbook, it fizzles. Like when Kendrick Perkins took the clipboard Saturday.

Perkins, rehabbing from offseason surgery to repair the torn ACL suffered in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, instructed Boston's reserve unit to run the tam's familiar "Floppy" set, hoping to spring Von Wafer for a 3-pointer. A bad pass from Nate Robinson contributed to the play blowing up and Robinson lofted a 28-foot rainbow that clanged off iron.

"I gotta do something to be involved, right?" deadpanned Perkins, who said he enjoys joining his teammates for the end of sessions after getting in his own rehab. "No, we needed a 3[-pointer] because [the reserves] were down 6. I called one of Doc's plays, but we didn't execute it right. I told them to run 'Floppy' out of bounds with a back-pick for Von, but it didn't work.

"I was really trying to win, trying to beat the Green Team [Boston's starters]. But it didn't work. Doc let us coach ourselves today and that was a good thing."

Especially for Rivers, who doesn't mind the long view he gets when he gives up the clipboard.

"I didn’t know what the hell [Perkins] was going to design," Rivers joked. "We’ve done that last couple days, let the players run the scrimmage. It tells you a lot as a staff: Who they think should shoot, who's taking the ball out -- they run all that stuff, which is amazing. It's good that they’re doing it, it makes them think."

Rivers crowned Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen the team's kings of drawing up quality plans (nothing that, "Ray's are always for himself; He's the smart one.") Perkins suggested that no big man should ever be trusted with the clipboard, while Glen Davis scoffed at the notion, saying all his plays work (It should be noted that Davis famously called one of Doc's plays during a practice last March and it worked).

River said the team works on situational work every day, whether it's in a scrimmage or to close out practice. He noted that the idea for the exercise actually came from his days with the Hawks when Mike Fratello allowed him to draw up a final play based on something Rivers saw on the floor.

"We won the game on it and that was last time he let me do it," joked Rivers. He plans to keep letting his players doodle, even if it's just during practice.

"You learn a lot, actually," said Rivers. "First, you see what they're thinking. You find out who should take the shot, who should be in the game, and who they think can make plays. I think what they learn is that they get frustrated when guys don’t execute, then I can say, 'Yeah, that’s how I feel all game.' It's a good learning tool."

One player uninterested in drawing up plays: Shaquille O'Neal.

"I'm not a coach," said O'Neal. "And I have no aspirations of being a coach."


 
SHAQ THINKS BIG PICTURE WHEN IT COMES TO HEAT

Shaquille O'Neal isn't getting caught up in the hoopla of Tuesday's season-opener against the Miami Heat.

"I’ve been around for a long time and the focus is on the winning the last game," said O'Neal. "I focus on the big picture. When I’m looking at my artwork, I’m always looking at the big pictures -- The Picassos. The one that y’all have to go through the thumb fingerprint security to look at. I never worry about the little photographs. I'm always worried about the big pictures.

"It’s going to be a nice game, highly watched, but both teams still have 81 games left after that. Whatever happens, it will not make us or break us."

Kevin Garnett agreed, scoffing at the suggestion that opening night could be perceived as a statement game.

"It's too early for all that, man, it's the first game of the year," he said. "There's no statement, it's Game 1. You want to establish home, you want to play well, and you want to continue to do the things we've been doing -- for the most part, we've been sharing the ball, moving the basketball, and playing with good chemistry. You gotta continue to ride that wave."

AFTER TWO MARATHON SESSIONS; C'S PLAN TO DOWNSHIFT SUNDAY



After calling Friday's three-hour session a bit of a mess, Rivers emerged far more pleased with his team's effort while putting in a two-and-a-half-hour session Saturday. With that in mind, the Celtics will drop down a gear Sunday and practice only an hour as they prepare for Tuesday's blockbuster against the Heat.

"I guarantee if we got an hour and a minute, then I'll have to pay the guys for that," said Rivers.

BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics wrap up their eight-game preseason schedule Wednesday evening with a visit from the New Jersey Nets. And, for the eighth straight game, Celtics coach Doc Rivers won't have his full lineup available.

In a season in which every bit of Boston's success is tagged with an "if they stay healthy" disclaimer, the Celtics will complete their entire preseason slate without ever boasting their full complement of players.

Rivers seemed somewhat frustrated by that prospect after Tuesday's open practice session for season-ticket holders at TD Garden, particularly while discussing how Jermaine O'Neal is unlikely to play in Wednesday's game.

O'Neal has only appeared in four games, logging about 15 minutes per contest.

"Jermaine won't play [Wednesday], it doesn't look like," Rivers said. When pressed on the severity of the injuries affecting O'Neal, Rivers said only that his hand and back were bothering him.

"He didn't do anything today," Rivers added. "That's rest; that's injury. It's disappointing, to be honest. He has not had the preseason that we would have liked him to have had. Sometimes you just can't avoid it."

The Celtics haven't been able to avoid the injury bug over the past two seasons, starting with Kevin Garnett's injured knee late in the 2008-09 season, followed by an injury-filled 2009-10 campaign that culminated with Kendrick Perkins' knee injury in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

Now, in addition to Perkins being sidelined until midseason, the Celtics have been hindered by small but nagging injuries as the regular season nears.

Click HERE to read the full story.

NEW YORK -- Celtics coach Doc Rivers was brutally honest when he admitted Wednesday night that he knew next to nothing about Stephane Lasme after being informed a week before training camp that the University of Massachusetts product would be joining the team in Newport, R.I.

A month later, Rivers has gone out of his way to rave about the kid and his "excellent" chance to make the Celtics' final 15-man roster.

"A week before camp, [Celtics president of basketball operations] Danny [Ainge] said to me, 'Hey, we're going to bring in this guy and we like him a little bit.' He's been terrific. We weren't sure what he was at first -- we didn't know if he was a 3 or a 4. Halfway through camp, we were still not sure, but we realized he could play either position. Defensively, he's an NBA player right now, there's no doubt about it. He has an NBA IQ as well, for a young kid."

Earlier this week, we detailed Lasme's amazing basketball odyssey and what's at stake for him with the Celtics. Now let's crunch some numbers and examine if the Celtics can afford to keep him around.

Lasme's defensive talents are obvious and few coaches will appreciate that sort of dedication like Rivers. But Boston's coach has stressed a desire for more scoring potential from the final bench player and admitted that Lasme needs to hone his shooting skills.

Not that Lasme is an offensive abyss. He simply hasn't shown the ability to consistently make perimeter jumpers during his brief NBA experience.

Through five preseason contests with the Celtics, Lasme is averaging 4.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks over 13.2 minutes per game. He showed the potential to score in bunches when he spilled off the bench to pour in 12 points over seven minutes in Boston's exhibition opener against the 76ers last week in Manchester, N.H. He's only totaled 10 points over 53 minutes the past three games, but is shooting a robust 57.1 percent, having made 5 of 7 attempts in those games.

Look at his numbers from the 15 NBA games he played with the Miami Heat in 2008 and Lasme averaged 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks over 20.2 minutes per game. The numbers at HoopData show he took more than half of his shots at the rim, but still shot a serviceable 42 percent in the mid-range (16 to 23 feet).

Watch Lasme before games or after practice and it's clear he can shoot. He's spent much of his time overseas the past two seasons honing his shot and his ball-handling. It simply hasn't carried over to games quite yet. Lasme took a 20-foot jumper against the Knicks that found back iron in the second quarter, then retreated back to his comfort level, scoring his only basket of the game on a layup off a feed from Rajon Rondo.

Friday's game in Toronto could be a big one for Lasme. The Celtics are likely to go easy with their starters, hoping to trot most of them out in front of a "home" crowd Saturday night during a rematch with the Knicks in Hartford, Conn. With only one other exhibition after Saturday's game, a tuneup against the Nets leading up to the season-opener against the Heat on Oct. 26, the Celtics could be focused on ramping up their starters after Friday's tilt.

Rivers wouldn't commit to a timetable for when the final batch of cuts will come -- the Celtics must trim two players, with Lasme, Von Wafer, and Mario West vying for the final job -- before the regular season arrives.

Before Wednesday's game in New York, Rivers continued to suggest he likes what he's seen from Lasme.

"I think he has an excellent chance [to make the roster]," said Rivers. "We have some tough decisions coming up. We'll make the ones that are right for the team."

Boston's potential need for shooting at the guard spot with Delonte West suspended for the first 10 games of the regular season could aid the cause of Wafer, who has a partially guaranteed contract and is hoping to hold onto his current grasp on a final roster spot. The Celtics could try to sneak Lasme through to the Maine Red Claws, the team's D-League affiliate, utilizing the new allocation rule that allows a team to sign three of its final camp cuts. But they'd have to be confident that no other NBA squad would swoop him up for the end of their bench.

One thing to consider: In that small NBA sampling with the Heat, Lasme's numbers weren't too far off from what Celtics defensive stopper Tony Allen provided last season. Allen averaged 6.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game over 54 appearances before signing with the Grizzlies in the offseason.

For a Celtics team that's already thin at the wing (Marquis Daniels is the only pure 3 behind Paul Pierce), having an NBA-caliber defender that could also push teammates in practice, offer the flexibility to play the 3 and the 4 in emergency situations, and bring a team-first attitude -- a lot of the traits that summarized a Rivers' favorite in Brian Scalabrine during his five years here -- might be too good to pass up.

So what are we learning about the Celtics as they breeze through their exhibition game schedule? Not much, but Doc Rivers is fine with it writes ESPN Boston's Peter May:

WALTHAM, Mass. -- Doc Rivers always hated the exhibition season as a player. The Celtics' coach vividly remembers one training camp in which his play was so uninspiring that his coach, Mike Fratello, told him: "If I didn't know you, I'd cut you. That's how bad you've been."

The previous season, Rivers had made the All-Star team.

Such is life in the NBA for the first three-plus weeks of October. For the Celtics, life so far in 2010-11 has been good in one respect -- there are no road games more than a one-hour flight away. For Rivers, who spent four-plus seasons as head coach of the Orlando Magic, that is huge. "It seems we never had a game closer than two to three hours away," he said of his days in Orlando. "That was brutal. Three-hour flights in preseason?"

Despite the easy travel, there are downsides to playing the Knicks, Nets, Sixers and Raptors twice each. One is that those teams are not very good; the recent poll of general managers had 100 percent of them agreeing that the Celtics would win the Atlantic Division. The other is that they all are teams in the Celtics' division who will play Boston four times each during the regular season.

So, really, what can we glean from the Celtics' summary disposal of the Sixers in Manchester, N.H.? Or from their squeaker over the Raptors on Sunday night?

Nothing.

"The one thing you cannot do in the exhibition season is use it as a guide as to how good you're going to be," Rivers said Monday after practice, before the team headed to Philadelphia for a rematch with the Sixers. "All the teams are using different combinations and trying different things."

Click HERE to read the full story.

NEWARK, N.J. -- A collection of leftover notes and analysis after the Boston Celtics kicked off a new season with back-to-back exhibition games in New Hampshire and New Jersey this week:

* KG wants to play: Celtics coach Doc Rivers has stressed throughout training camp that he wants forward Kevin Garnett to take more breaks during practices. Garnett hasn't obliged often, but Rivers does have the power to force him off the court in games.

Garnett gave Rivers some playful grief after being pulled less than five minutes into the second half Thursday night against the Nets. Garnett hadn't been particularly crisp and clearly wanted a little more action.

"Our starters kinda cruised into the game, but they did turn it on," said Rivers, whose first unit let New Jersey score the first nine points of the game, but atoned by building a comfortable cushion early in the second half with more inspired play.

"Coming out of [halftime], I told [the starters] you got six hard minutes. That's why Kevin was mad, because it was five minutes. He knew the exact time, which is good."

Garnett finished 2-of-8 shooting with five points, four rebounds, and a block Thursday. He missed all four shots he attempted Wednesday against Philadelphia. He's clearly still working out the preseason kinks, but he definitely has a hop in his step this season and has been particularly vocal on the bench, supporting Boston's reserves.

* Baby thriving in latest role: Celtics forward Glen Davis made headlines at the onset of training camp by expressing disappointment in the lack of a defined role. Rivers essentially squashed the matter by saying Davis should know his role or sit on the bench.

Two games in, Davis is utilizing the versatility of having played both near the basket and on the perimeter in recent seasons to thrive with Boston's new mix-and-match bench. For the second straight game, Davis got to the foul line for 10 attempts, generating points by drawing contact around the basket. On Thursday, Davis connected on a team-high six field goals while scoring 20 points in 28 minutes of action.

His role might not be defined, but not being pigeonholed to one area of the floor seems to be allowing Davis to flourish.

Click HERE to read the full story.

NEWARK, N.J. -- Celtics coach Doc Rivers has favored shorter rotations in recent seasons, not always out of necessity, but out of confidence in his reserves. At times, he simply hasn't had the faith in his role players -- justified or not -- to put them on the floor in crucial spots.

Trouble there has been increased minutes for the veteran players he's leaned heavy on, most notably Boston's Big Three, but even 24-year-old Rajon Rondo felt the effects of not having a true backup point guard last season, with all his minutes potentially sapping some of his energy by the end of the playoffs.

During Wednesday's exhibition opener against the Philadelphia 76ers in Manchester, N.H., Rivers confidently rolled out a complete second unit featuring Delonte West, Nate Robinson, Marquis Daniels, Glen Davis, and Semih Erden. And he didn't just do it because these games don't matter or that Boston built a near 30-point cushion by halftime. Rivers wanted an extended look at what an entire reserve unit can do. And as Paul Pierce, in particular, has preached this preseason, there didn't appear to be a tremendous drop-off in performance.

All of which potentially opens a world of possibilities for Rivers this season, one that he views as a necessity in order for his team to reach its goals.

"It's important that we have a deeper rotation [this season], it's better for the playoffs," Rivers said before Wednesday's game. "Last year, there were times when we had [an] eight[-man rotation] and, in the playoffs, we were almost at seven at times. We'll probably shorten for the playoffs [this year], but to get there, we really need a bench. And we need a great bench. For us to have an honest chance of winning this whole thing, our bench has to be huge during the regular season. They're going to have to win games for us some nights."

The additions of Jermaine O'Neal, Shaquille O'Neal and West, combined with potential for rebound seasons from Daniels and Robinson, and an infusion of rookie talent in Erden, Luke Harangody, and Avery Bradley, has potential to give Rivers a deep enough roster that he might actually have to worry about how to distribute minutes.

It's a good problem to have, even if it's a new one for Rivers.

"I've never had [the luxury of a deep bench], we'd pretty much set it and go," said Rivers. "This year, they'll be a lot of times where we go with different guard lineups. As long as everyone stays healthy."

Therein lies the caveat. Boston's depth is contingent on players like Kendrick Perkins coming back from offseason knee surgery, which pushes the O'Neals into reserve roles. As the preseason starts, Shaq is running with the first team, while Jermaine O'Neal is sidelined by a sore hamstring that, while he says is minor, will force him to miss at least the first two preseason games.

Maintained health is crucial to allowing the bench players to determine roles and build chemistry, which will allow them to thrive.

"Right now it's split, I can't even tell you," Pierce gushed earlier this week when asked who was winning the intrasquad scrimmages. "Some days the second unit is having a great day, you see guys like Nate, Delonte, and Shaq on the second team; some days Marquis and Baby [lead the unit]. They really have some good chemistry going on. I really love our second team, there's something about them.

"I haven't seen a second team like this since I've been in the league. I know when I come in, I'm going to get better each and every day playing against them."

WALTHAM, Mass. -- A handful of highlights after Kevin Garnett's confab with the media Tuesday in advance of Boston's exhibition opener Wednesday night against the Philadelphia 76ers in Manchester, N.H.

On practicing in Waltham before Wednesday's game
"When we come in, [coach Doc Rivers] does a good job of getting us a sweat. Seeing that it's gameday, I don't see anything ridiculous or crazy, but we do get a nice sweat, get lathered up, go through our strategies. That should be no different."

On team bonding at camp
"I felt like it was a real good camp. This team has a ying and a yang, if you will. We step on the floor, we're very competitive, there's a lot of good games, a lot of good stuff in practice. After practice, we enjoy each other, which is a riot, as you’ve probably seen already. It's a quick mix, quick chemistry bond. Guys are linking without even a lot of time with each other, it’s good for our team and our morale."

On purpose of the preseason
"That's what the preseason is for: Timing and playing different lineups. It's a chance for coaches to see different things. For the people that have been playing in the league a long time, it's just timing and rhythm. These preseason games are not only a chance to play against different opponents, but a chance for you to find your rhythm. Almost like getting back on a bike, or running on the treadmill before the big race."

On playing with the new faces
"I'm eager to play with the new guys. Like I've been saying, to play with [Shaquille O'Neal] is an honor, just like playing with [Rasheed Wallace] was a great honor, so it's no different than that. Delonte [West] goes hard and I love his attitude, what he brings to the court. Hopefully we get some time together."

WALTHAM, Mass. -- What is Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers looking for during his team's first exhibition game Wednesday evening? Even he doesn't know for sure. But what Rivers does know is that the first game will likely serve as his guide for what to look for moving forward.

"I think preseason games, the first couple, they kind of tell you what you should be looking at," said Rivers, whose squad treks to Manchester, N.H., to host the Philadelphia 76ers in Boston's exhibition opener.

Two things fans shouldn't expect: Jermaine O'Neal (sore hamstring) and extended minutes for the veterans. Rivers indicated he'll run the team through a cardio-heavy practice before making the bus ride north and will settle for a small glimpse at his first and second units before letting the younger players take center stage.

So while Rivers might not know exactly what else he's looking for, here are five things we'll have our eyes on:

* Shaq and the starters
* Delonte at the reserves
* Wafer vs. West
* The "revived" KG
* First look: Erden, Harangody

Click HERE to read the full story.

WALTHAM, Mass. -- The Boston Celtics know Von Wafer can shoot.

They actually found that out the hard way back on Jan. 9, 2009, when Wafer came off the bench and drilled a quartet of 3-pointers for the Houston Rockets, including one in the final minute to lift his team to an 89-85 triumph.

It was one of just six losses Boston endured at home that season, so it was somewhat memorable, particularly the way Wafer drilled the shot over Paul Pierce and in front of the Boston bench.

Asked Monday if he recalled the shot, Pierce initially played coy, but couldn't keep a straight face.

"Man, I don't remember too many regular-season games," Pierce said before a smile emerged. "No, I do remember. I was guarding him."

Pierce said Wafer hasn't brought up the shot, noting that he's "probably got 20 shots" over Wafer for his career. But Pierce does like what he's seen from the 6-foot-5 guard, believing he has potential to be an X-factor for this team with his shooting off the bench.

"He's learning the system and it's coming along," said Pierce. "He's picking up things nicely and every day he's getting better. He's a really good shooter and scorer. He's taking it all in stride. It's tough coming to a new system. He's learning day by day."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers suggested Wafer hit more shots in that one game than he has so far during the team's scrimmage time early in the preseason. Unfazed, he has stressed to Wafer to keep shooting as he adapts to his new surroundings.

"He's been up and down, but we told him there's a difference -- there's Celtics speed," said Rivers "It's almost the same speech we gave Nate [Robinson]. There's a Celtics speed and there's the speed that Von is playing at. Give him credit, over the last three days he's really started to come on. He's playing harder, he's starting to get our defense.

"I'm not concerned about his offense. I think he is, because he hasn't made a lot of shots yet. But you know he can. I think he's starting to figure me out. I tell him I could care less about the misses, he can shoot. He's a great shooter, so we're not concerned there."

Click HERE to read the full story.

WALTHAM, Mass. -- Quick observations after the Boston Celtics practiced Tuesday afternoon at the Sports Authority Training Center at HealthPoint:

The rundown (a quick look at Tuesday's practice headlines)
* D-West returns to practice; JO gets up shots
* Shaq's FTs help first unit in scrimmage
* Doc's plans for Wednesday: practice and game
* Loose balls: Bradley still sidelined; Rookies ready?

WEST RETURNS; JO GETS UP SHOTS



After sitting out Monday's session with what he dubbed "mild" back spasms, Delonte West returned to the practice court Tuesday afternoon and is expected to play Wednesday night when the Celtics kick off their exhibition slate against the Philadelphia 76ers in Manchester, N.H.

"My back feels great," West said after practice. "[Celtics trainer] Ed Lacerte and [team masseuse] Vlad [Shulman] did a great job of working those things out of there. No complaints here."

While admitting that a lack of fluids or proper stretching might have contributed to the spasms, West refused to blame his tireless work ethic this preseason, in which he's been the last person out of the gym every day but Monday when he was plagued by the spasms.

"You can never work too hard," West said with a smile.

Celtics center Jermaine O'Neal missed his third straight session due to a sore left hamstring, but watched portions of practice from the sideline, then came onto the court -- a couple bandages near the injury -- and put up shots after the session.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he'll exercise caution with anyone that develops an injury during the preseason.

"[Delonte will] play [Wednesday]," said Rivers. "He went through the whole practice. Now, again, [Wednesday] morning, he may wake up and the back could tighten up. It's one of those things where, if a guy has anything [ailing him], then they're not playing. It's not worth it right now."

(Read full post)