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.
When reached by the Globe, Grousbeck said in an e-mail: “We stand as one league led by Commissioner Adam Silver and he speaks for us.”
The Clippers and Celtics are linked after the June 2013 deal that sent coach Doc Rivers to Los Angeles for a first-round pick. Rivers addressed reporters following the Clippers’ practice in San Francisco on Saturday and appeared visibly upset. Clippers players did not address the media. Rivers said a potential boycott of Game 4 was discussed but never seriously considered.
A source close to the situation said Sterling’s statements were not that much of a surprise to those in the organization and he hopes the comments aren’t a distraction to the players.
Former Celtics great Cedric Maxwell, who played 1½ seasons for the Sterling-owned Clippers in the 1980s, said if it is indeed Sterling’s voice on the tape, strong action should be taken.
“I never got any vibe like that from Donald Sterling [when I played there] but after listening to this taped conversation, there is no doubt what the new commissioner has to do,” Maxwell told the Globe. “And if you look at it realistically, this is [Silver’s] first real test and his first true statement. That team has to be sold. You have to put Donald Sterling in check and that team has to be sold.”
Maxwell said Rivers has a real challenge in keeping the players’ attention on basketball.
“If you are Doc Rivers, this is going to be his ultimate test,” Maxwell said. “What he has to do is focus on the games and somehow put a screen between his players and what is going on with the owner of this team because it is obvious right now, from what I heard Doc say, that his players were disgusted and [ticked] off.’’
Said Maxwell about Sterling: “He’s always been a rebel. He’s always been kind of out there as an owner. I think the [other owners] always wanted to reel him in as being a maverick but now he set himself in a position . . . what recourse do the other owners have when it comes to another owner talking this way publicly? As an owner, how do you stand behind him?”
Boston Globe – Celtics react to Donald Sterling controversy
Amidst the absurd and offensive comments made by LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling, some members of the C’s, both past and present responded. While you’d like to hear C’s owner Wyc Grousbeck stand up and scream at how pissed he is, as an owner, it’s unlikely he’d do that to another owner… at least not yet since the word “allegedly” is still legally attached to it. But for Cedric Maxwell and Jerryd Bayless, it’s no problem at all and they’re both right. It would be interesting to see if Doc Rivers offers Bayless a contract or makes an offer for him via sign-and-trade and then we’d really see if Bayless would never play for Sterling.
Speaking of the former C’s coach, Doc (who willingly knew what he was getting into when he forced his way out of here to go work for Sterling) spoke up about it. Doc was and always will be great with the media and said all the right things, but Max is right in saying that this is the ultimate test for Rivers. This has to be a huge distraction, then again it might not if you read that quote from Washburn’s piece above, from the ‘source within the organization.’ If it’s something that team employees simply brush off as “Oh that’s just Donald being Donald” well that says more about that entire organization. I would like to believe they feel otherwise. If not, I agree with Max, and that the NBA should somehow force Sterling to sell the team (and perhaps move them to Seattle, because really LA doesn’t need two teams) but legally, well, good luck with that.
It’s too bad that this garbage had to be dumped onto the NBA’s center court of the playoffs this year, because the games have been incredibly exciting. More so than any other collective first round that I can remember.
On Page 2, NCAA coaches have high praise for Brad Stevens:
Indeed, the inimitable Coach K was as fascinated as anyone by the lanky, fresh-scrubbed 32-year-old at the other end of the floor.
“He had the look of a champion,” Krzyzewski said of Stevens last week in an e-mail exchange with the Herald. “I saw that in studying tapes. He was confident, not arrogant; sure, prepared. You knew that any situation that would occur, he was prepared to attempt to succeed at it. There were no surprises. I thought he was way beyond his years. Still do.”
Boston Herald – Ex-college rivals laud Celtics’ Stevens
If the NBA gave out awards for “rookie coaches that get showered with the most praise” Brad Stevens would have won this year and in record-breaking fashion. Kidding aside, a good read by Mark Murphy who gathered a solid list of college coaches’ thoughts on your head coach.
The rest of the links:
Boston Globe – Documentary offers fresh look at Isiah Thomas, 1980’s Pistons (Sunday Notes) | Seven things you should know about Robert Epstein
Boston Herald – Plenty of Celtics options in ‘top-heavy’ draft
ESPN Boston – Report card: Jerryd Bayless
CSNNE – NBA prospect primer: Top centers
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