2-14-11 Boston Celtics Practice Notes

Practice Notes

• Doc Rivers on Paul Pierce: "He's good. It's ok, everything is good. I think there is some bruising obviously, swelling. But everything he can play with. It's one of those things where someone hits you with a baseball bat on your arm, it's going to take time to heal. He got kicked a couple games ago in his foot, and then he got hit on the hand in the same way in the same game and they both are reacting. Obviously the [All-Star] beak is coming at a great time. We have one game left. For precaution, just so nobody kicks him or hits him, we're not going to practice him tomorrow either, which will be difficult for Paul because he likes to practice. Play him in the game. I know the coach of the All-Star Game, so he probably won't play a lot in that game."
• Doc says that Pierce's hand injury is the one that could take longer to heal, because it's tough to play a game and not get hit in the hand.
• Delonte West practiced in full again and Rivers will practice him hard tomorrow. If he feels fine after practice, Rivers hopes to get West about ten minutes on Wednesday.
• Shaquille O'Neal's achilles injury is not healing at all. They originally thought it was going to be one or two games, but since the injury has not healed, they're not sure if Shaq can play on the West Coast trip, but they're hopeful. X-rays were done and there was nothing there.
• Semih Erden looks to be ready for the beginning of the West Coast trip.
• Before the start of practice, Rivers talked to his team at mid-court and recapped the series of events leading up to the Dwayne Wade flagrant 1. He mentioned to the team how Rondo was crushed on a legal pick. How did the C's respond? Kevin Garnett set a legal pick right back. How did the Heat respond? Dwayne Wade lost his cool and picked up the foul, allowing the C's to shoot two free throws which was ultimately the difference in the game.
• "I've said it forever, but toughness is taking the hits and walking away," Rivers said. "To me that's toughness. Toughness is not reacting, that's a weakness. That's what we keep trying to tell our guys. We're going to make tough plays. We're going to set hard picks. We're going to defend. The game is going to be physical. We got to accept that in return as well and just keep playing through it."
• Doc didn't particularly like Rondo going over to the Heat huddle during the non timeout but he did admit that he was right and commended his high basketball IQ.
• Doc said that he's seen a complete change in the way that Von Wafer sees himself: "I think it has opened up his mind about basketball. I think Von in the past thought, 'Give me the ball and I'll try to score.' He didn't know there was a second and third option on the offensive play. And the defensive part he didn't know that as well. He's really one I trust. He's one the players trust. I would say early on they really weren't feeling Von because he was still trying to be just that and I think he's really done a nice job."