Post by BCHISTORIAN on Oct 30, 2005 13:27:56 GMT -5
Not green
without Red
Auerbach's absence dampens Celtics' opener
Red Auerbach
A Celtics home-opener just won't be the same without Red Auerbach, but the team's patriarch might not be in his familiar centercourt seat when the Knicks and Celtics tip off Wednesday night in Boston.
Auerbach, who starts his 56th season with the Celtics, has been recuperating the last two weeks at his Washington, D.C., home after recently undergoing two surgical procedures. He wants to travel to Boston for the game, but doctors have yet to give him the OK. One team official said that given Auerbach's ongoing recovery, "it's not feasible for Red to travel now." But the good news is, he's on the road back.
"He's got his second wind and he's as cranky as ever," said coach Doc Rivers last week. "That means he's feeling good."
Auerbach almost didn't see his 88th birthday last month. First, he had to have a blockage removed from his colon. Then doctors found a cyst near his stomach, which required a second surgery. All told, he spent close to a month in the hospital.
"There was a time when we were real worried, I mean really worried," Rivers said. "But I talked to him the other day, and he was as positive as ever. Even in the worst times, he's extremely positive. Plus, when you hear Red swear, you know he's doing fine."
Heading into his second season with the Celtics, Rivers hopes to hear more words of wisdom from Auerbach in the coming weeks. It doesn't figure to be an easy season coaching a team that won the Altantic Division last season, is trying to incorporate young players, does not have a proven point guard, but also features headstrong veterans such as Paul Pierce and Ricky Davis.
"One of the best things that Red has taught me is when you have players who aren't listening, who aren't doing what you want, or are real headcases, don't always think, 'trade 'em,' Rivers said. "He said, 'Your job is to solve the problem.' And that's really helped me with a lot of guys I have here. That's made me change some of my thoughts. Red said there are cases where you should get a guy's butt off the team, but there are a lot more cases where you pull the trigger too early, before you exhaust everything, instead of thinking that that guy can come around. He reminded me that once you get a guy like that in your fold, they are the most loyal players you'll ever have. I would say he's exactly right."
Rivers has found that to be the case in most of his conversations with Auerbach.
"In one sentence, he can simplify something that took me five minutes to explain to him," he said. "That's just knowledge and age and perspective."
Denver doesn't think it will have the money to re-sign Nene, who reportedly wants $9 mil per, so it's no wonder that several teams, including Boston and Chicago, will be in the sweepstakes for the Nuggets' big man. Last month, the Nuggets thought they had a deal completed in which Nene and Andre Miller would have gone to Boston for Paul Pierce. The Nuggets signed PG Earl Watson this past summer in anticipation of trading Miller. But now they're stuck with three point guards (including Earl Boykins) and Nuggets execs are still mystified as to why Boston pulled out at the 11th hour.
without Red
Auerbach's absence dampens Celtics' opener
Red Auerbach
A Celtics home-opener just won't be the same without Red Auerbach, but the team's patriarch might not be in his familiar centercourt seat when the Knicks and Celtics tip off Wednesday night in Boston.
Auerbach, who starts his 56th season with the Celtics, has been recuperating the last two weeks at his Washington, D.C., home after recently undergoing two surgical procedures. He wants to travel to Boston for the game, but doctors have yet to give him the OK. One team official said that given Auerbach's ongoing recovery, "it's not feasible for Red to travel now." But the good news is, he's on the road back.
"He's got his second wind and he's as cranky as ever," said coach Doc Rivers last week. "That means he's feeling good."
Auerbach almost didn't see his 88th birthday last month. First, he had to have a blockage removed from his colon. Then doctors found a cyst near his stomach, which required a second surgery. All told, he spent close to a month in the hospital.
"There was a time when we were real worried, I mean really worried," Rivers said. "But I talked to him the other day, and he was as positive as ever. Even in the worst times, he's extremely positive. Plus, when you hear Red swear, you know he's doing fine."
Heading into his second season with the Celtics, Rivers hopes to hear more words of wisdom from Auerbach in the coming weeks. It doesn't figure to be an easy season coaching a team that won the Altantic Division last season, is trying to incorporate young players, does not have a proven point guard, but also features headstrong veterans such as Paul Pierce and Ricky Davis.
"One of the best things that Red has taught me is when you have players who aren't listening, who aren't doing what you want, or are real headcases, don't always think, 'trade 'em,' Rivers said. "He said, 'Your job is to solve the problem.' And that's really helped me with a lot of guys I have here. That's made me change some of my thoughts. Red said there are cases where you should get a guy's butt off the team, but there are a lot more cases where you pull the trigger too early, before you exhaust everything, instead of thinking that that guy can come around. He reminded me that once you get a guy like that in your fold, they are the most loyal players you'll ever have. I would say he's exactly right."
Rivers has found that to be the case in most of his conversations with Auerbach.
"In one sentence, he can simplify something that took me five minutes to explain to him," he said. "That's just knowledge and age and perspective."
Denver doesn't think it will have the money to re-sign Nene, who reportedly wants $9 mil per, so it's no wonder that several teams, including Boston and Chicago, will be in the sweepstakes for the Nuggets' big man. Last month, the Nuggets thought they had a deal completed in which Nene and Andre Miller would have gone to Boston for Paul Pierce. The Nuggets signed PG Earl Watson this past summer in anticipation of trading Miller. But now they're stuck with three point guards (including Earl Boykins) and Nuggets execs are still mystified as to why Boston pulled out at the 11th hour.
