There's one topic that may get lost in the fray after a Doc Rivers and Danny Ainge press conference that featured talk of trade rumors, Rajon Rondo, cap space, roster additions, and more.
That topic would be practice. Yes, we're talking about practice (see note at end of article with more on that).
One of the issues the Celtics had last year was finding time to practice. With a veteran core that the Celtics have, a lot off-days are just that - days off.
Not that any team can practice every day that there isn't a game, but the Celtics were far, far from that being the case.
OK, they barely practiced.
Doc Rivers said it numerous times last season: the team just hasn't had enough time to work on issues that need to be addressed.
So how the heck will they practice this season? Sure, it's only "two extra games per month" and that doesn't seem like much, but it will have a bigger affect in terms of getting in the gym for practice. Not only will the C's obviously not practice on those two days a month that there are games, but they're going to need more rest now most likely - and in months with less time for it.
Rivers expressed worry that practices would be few and far between, saying "yeah" when the question was raised.
"That again, we'll find that out with the scheduling.," he said. "I've done a lot of - not a lot but some research. I know in the last time this happened with the 50 game [season] there were some coaches that didn't have a practice at all during that season and there were some that did it another way. So we'll figure it out."
Wait, is Rivers throwing out the idea that they may never practice?
"No. I can tell you that will not happen," he said with a laugh. "But listen, at the end of the day we're just going to have to figure out the rhythm that works for our team. I'm not really concerned about anyone else except for our team and how it works for us."
There's also been debate as to whether a shorter, more compact season favors the veteran teams or the younger teams. Let the debate rage on.
"I don't think it's an advantage either way," Rivers said. "You can make a case either way. You can say the veteran teams will need less work so they can play together better. But then the younger teams because they're more athletic and fresher - I think it all evens out in the wash."
Whatever the case may be with the schedule, Rivers expects his team (whatever it may consist of anyways) prepared for the season.
"I expect us on the first game to be ready," he said. "We may have to put in more work to get there. We may have to go doubles in training camp and even through the preseason to get there, but I think we can get there."
* One quick side note, and you can take this any way you want.
Ainge chimed in on Rivers' answer to the question on lack of practices being a potential issue.
Ainge mocked Allen Iverson's infamous press conference line, "Practice? We're talking about practice?"
Rivers laughed, repeated Ainge's quote, and said in passing under his breath something along the lines of that they were looking at that yesterday.
So were they talking about Allen Iverson, or the lack of practices?
Maybe it was both.