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“You know, I don’t know if Rasheed will ever play again,” Rivers said.
“You know, he’s one of them. I think he took that out on the floor with
him. I think he is thinking about retiring, and I thought you could see
that in his play. He was dying out there. When he got the cramps and the
strains, he was just trying to figure out a way of staying on the
floor.”
WEEI: Doc: Sheed thinking about retiring
As Celtics coach Doc
Rivers sat at the podium suggesting Rasheed
Wallace might have played his final game of his career on Thursday,
the 15-year veteran stood outside the locker room of the game officials
trying to talk to a group which has been intertwined with much of his
career.It wasn't clear if he was trying to discuss the calls that
went against Boston in its Game 7 loss to the Lakers in the NBA Finals
or just say goodbye to a couple of veteran officials.Wallace exited the Boston locker room before it opened to the media and
navigated his way toward the team bus before diverting to the official's
locker room nearby. He managed to open the door and talk with an
unidentified person behind the door, before arena and NBA security
ushered him back out.Wallace stuck his head into the locker room and appeared to say, "Danny,
I just want to talk," possibly to referee Danny Crawford, but quickly
got removed from the room.
ESPN Boston: Wallace heads to refs locker room
Say what you want about Sheed and his attitude… he's a proud guy. His basketball value system might be different than yours… but he has one. And he sticks by it.
So when the injuries and fatigue set in and he couldn't do what he had done to start the game, it probably sealed the decision he'd been contemplating for a while.
Yeah, you'd probably be justified in saying "you know, Sheed, if you'd put in a little more effort a little earlier in the season, you might have been in good enough shape to avoid those nagging injuries and make it through a spot start." But that's how Sheed has rolled for years. And now he can't even do it that way anymore.
They say you should never believe a player right after the season ends. But I think this is it for Sheed. It's like an elephant walking off to die. It just knows… and so does Sheed. If his demeanor really is what these guys says it was… then he knows.
On Page 2, A couple other guys who could also be out the door
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
As he has maintained throughout the playoffs, Doc Rivers will take some
time to make a decision about his future. "It's just a tough decision,"
he said outside the Celtics locker room. "I'm just going to get away."
WEEI: Rivers on future: Tough decision
"I'll deal with that when the times comes, but it's obvious that I don't
want to be anywhere else," said Allen, who labored through 3-of-14
shooting, while scoring 13 points in 45 minutes of action.
…"I'd like to be here," Allen said in February. "There's no reason to
be any other place. I'd love to retire with this organization. [But] that's up to the team. I want to be here. This team has proven over the
decades to be a winner, one of the best in sports, and that's what this
organization plans to do. I'm committed to it."
This was a tough regular season for Doc, but they all are for NBA coaches. I'm still trying to figure out if getting the band back together will keep him here or have no effect.
I wouldn't be shocked if Danny Ainge waits to get word on Doc before deciding what to do with the rest of the team. If the C's are going to go with one more year of this plan… filling in the gaps around the Big 3 with mid-level and minimum wage guys… then Doc's the perfect coach for that because he knows the personnel.
But if Doc decides to go, then will the C's really give this another run with the current group? Is it worth it to a new coach to try to do this with all these personalities?
People don't give Doc the credit he deserves… but he's on a par with Phil Jackson and Joe Torre as great coaches/managers with managing egos. Doc might not be the right guy for a younger team… but he's perfect for this one.
So if Doc says he's done, then Danny might not waste the year. He might just start blowing it up now… letting Ray go, dangling Pierce as trade bait for a younger team that could use a veteran leader (ugh, the thought of it makes me sick)… and using KG as that kind of guy as the C's re-tool their roster and give Rondo the team.
Right now, the morning after, I'm an emotional mess. I want these guys to give it another go because I like them. I think they've got another run in them with the right pieces around them. They came this close… why not give it one more go?
The rest of the links:
WEEI: Big Baby: Game 7 makes for a long summer | TA: Hard to come to grips | Video: Celtics react to loss | Ray: One of the hardest feelings of my lifetime | 5 things that went wrong | Sights and sounds | Is this the end for these Celtics | Herald: Celtics fall short of 18th title | Sheed valiant in possible finale | C's shattered on the glass | End game for these Celtics | Ray Allen & co. let this slip away | Doc facing a big decision | Don't forget Brian Scalabrine | Working for real time | Globe: No Cigar | No Banner | They lacked a finishing touch | Bryant gets some valuable assistance | Up in smoke | Bryant scores off an assist | Wallace might be retiring | What comes next is anyone's guess | Long Fall | CSNNE: 'Sheed apparently contemplating retirement | Celtics collapse in 4th | Rivers will take his time | MWDN: The agony of repeat
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