Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
“Of course I do. I remember being terrified of going to work out for the Celtics. I was such a Lakers fan growing up, I was like scared. Like, am I doing the right thing by working out with the Celtics? And then I’m in there with Dennis Johnson and I’m speaking with him and I’m just learning so much from him. It was a great workout, man. I had a blast.”
Herald: Kobe finds much to talk about with C's, Lakers
Of course the Celtics can win a player over with their history and aura… and this was back when ML Carr was coaching. Imagine what he'd think coming in and working out for Doc Rivers. It'd be better than playing for Mike Brown, that's for sure.
I do wonder sometimes what would have happened had the Celtics drafted Kobe instead of Antoine Walker? Would they stil have been in a position to draft Chauncey Billups and Ron Mercer the following year? And would they have been bad enough to land Paul Pierce the year after that?
Of course, Philly, Toronto, Memphis (then Vancouver), Milwaukee, Minnesota, the Clippers, New Jersey, Dallas, Indiana, Golden State, Cleveland and Charlotte (which drafted, and traded Kobe) can all go through the same "what if's" considering Kobe was the 13th pick in the 1996 draft.
Personally, I'm happy with our own former Lakers fan won over by the city of Boston. Even with the struggles, this still worked out just fine for us. And Lakers fans have to live with the knowledge that Kobe Bryant loved it here in Boston… even though the moment was fleeting. And had he been picked by the Celtics, he would have relished it and embraced it. I mean… look at those photos. That smile says it all.
On Page 2: Doc celebrated last night harder than when he won the title
That's Ausin Rivers burying an NBA-length 3 to beat arch-rival North Carolina last night. And check out Doc Rivers at the :13 mark just going absolutely ballistic.
I'm not kidding when I say he celebrated that more than when he won the title here in Boston. And I'm OK with that. You're looking at the unbridled joy of a father watching his son excel. With the championship, there was all kinds of pressure on him to do it and the win was as much relief as it was excitement.
But this… this was just pure jubilation. I can watch that over and over again… and I don't even like Duke. Check out what Doc said about it after the game… and how he compares it to Boston/LA.
The rest of the links:
CSNNE: Gasol: "[trade rumors are] part of the reality of what we do" | Pierce: Another title is my next goal | ESPN Boston: Here comes the Lake (not Blake) show | Bill Simmons' top 10 Celtics | Roots down, Stiemsma can settle in | WEEI: The All Star cases for Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo | Herald: Actor finds Bird to be quite a character | Aging Lakers, Celtics, set for toe-to-toe tussle | Globe: Mirror images, with a few cracks | Celtics picking up steam | Celtics, Lakers heading in opposite directions
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
