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"I was really excited," Davis said of hearing the news earlier this month that a sign-and-trade had been worked out for him to head to Orlando. "It's a great opportunity."
"Big Baby" played four seasons with Boston, winning a championship and almost getting a second one before the Celtics faltered in a Game 7 loss to the Lakers in the 2010 NBA Finals. But Davis was tired of being a reserve at power forward behind eventual Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett, and sought to move on when he became a free agent.
"My whole career, I was playing behind KG, and I don't think people really were able to see what I can do," Davis said in an interview with FOX Sports Florida. "The times that I didn't have to play behind KG, I did a great job. Now, I'm (with the Magic), and I have an opportunity to be a starter, and I'm just embracing the moment."
Fox Sports Florida: Davis happy to step out of Garnett's shadow
"The times that I didn't have to play behind KG, I did a great job."
Swish that around your mouth for a few seconds. Now… read what Glen Davis said about himself as a starter in January
After practice on Thursday afternoon, Davis, who spent extra time with big-man coach Roy Rogers after the session and was the last player off the court, admitted he didn't play within himself as a starter.
"I got out of myself and tried to be something else," Davis said." That's not how it works. You have to be yourself. Play the same way you play, do the same things you do. Yeah, I probably had a couple good games, but as for an all-around game, the way I know I can play, I didn't bring it. Now, being on the bench, you're back to the same mentality, just going out there and being you.
"It's all mental, you know? It's the way you approach the game, and I was kind of too hard on myself when I was starting. Being hard on myself, I didn't play in that relaxed flow… That's what I do when I come off the bench, I just go out there and play. I kind of put a lot of pressure on myself, stuff like that."
It doesn't sound like January Glen Davis agrees with what December Glen Davis is saying. And December John doesn't agree with what December Glen Davis is saying either.
The reason this rubs me the wrong way is that he makes himself sound like some kind of victim in Boston. Like "oh, woe is me.. I had to play behind Kevin Garnett."
Glen Davis always wanted to be a starter, though. And he was never going to stick around in Boston, grow into his role, and take over as a starter when KG retired. Instead, he took off for the first starting opportunity he had.
And if he had ended last season on a high note, I'd be congratulating him and bemoaning the bad timing that didn't let us keep a key player. But he left last season a mentally shattered, pudgy mess. He disappeared in the playoffs when the Celtics needed him the most. A good Glen Davis might have helped the Celtics get past Miami and avoid those end-of-game collapses.
Regardless, Glen Davis gets a chance to be Glen Davis in Orlando now. Just be warned, Orlando fans. Being Glen Davis involves a lot more than you think
On Page 2: Missing out on David West could REALLY hurt
Thus, the aging Big Three will begin their final stand lamenting the One That Got Away.
No, not Chris Paul – forward David West.
The flirtation with Paul rightfully dominated the headlines in Boston for obvious reasons: CP3 is a sexy, frontline superstar with great skills, marketing appeal and scoring ability at the point guard position. Yet the pursuit of Paul was a high-risk, high-reward scenario from the start. Had Boston acquired him, it would have forfeited its "bridge" player Rajon Rondo and gambled whether Paul would be willing to re-sign with the Celtics amid signals from his camp that he wouldn't
That's why the true kick to the gut was losing West to the Indiana Pacers for a two-year, $20 million contract. Unlike the potential Paul transaction, West would have been a straight add to the roster without any need to swap personnel.
ESPN Boston: Ainge's offseason airball could signal trouble
Read on in that piece and you'll see that Ainge's offer to David West ended up being for about three years, $29 million… as compared to West's two-year $20 million deal in Indiana.
This one hurt. I'm not going to lie here. Losing out on West hurt. It's just one of the many ramifications of the nixed Chris Paul trade. But history is history… and we have to move forward with the team we have.
Let's just hope this is an isolated incident, and not the beginning of a trend.
Poll: What grade would you give Danny Ainge this offseason?
The rest of the links:
CSNNE: Celtics roll out 5-5-5 minutes plan | ESPN Boston: Hoiberg feels Jeff Green's pain | WEEI: New look for Celtics rotation | Herald: Moore time for learning | Globe: No salary break for Celtics | MWDN: Bench help will be key for Celtics
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