Rivers: Different series

By Gary Dzen

May 16, 2010

1 minute to read

Thank goodness the Cleveland Cavaliers are out of the way. With the NBA’s best team out of the playoffs, the Celtics should have no problem beating the Magic and getting to the Finals. I mean, it’s going to be a tough series, but not nearly as tough as the Cavs series.

Right Doc?

“Our goal was not to beat Cleveland this year,” Rivers said a few minutes ago. “Our goal was to get to the Finals. And we believed from Day 1 that the team you had to beat to get to the Finals is Orlando… Orlando was the best team in the East last year. I don’t know how or why everyone conveniently forgets that. So in our minds we felt that would be the team to beat.”

The Celtics, of course, were knocked out of last year’s playoffs by the Magic, but Rivers doesn’t see many similarities between that series and this one.

“I think it’s two different teams, honestly,” said Rivers. “Jameer Nelson didn’t play last year. Vince Carter didn’t play last year. [Matt] Barnes wasn’t hear last year. They’re very different than they were last year, and we are, too. Having Kevin healthy, having Paul [Pierce] healthy, having Rasheed Wallace on the team, having Rondo better. I think we’re different as well. It’s going to be a different series in that way, there’s no doubt about it. I don’t think there’s a lot to be learned from last year’s series.

It’s amazing to think about last year they made it to the Finals with their heart and soul not playing. He’s still to me the key to the team in a lot of ways. Dwight [Howard] is the best player, obviously, but Jameer is their emotional leader. He’s their leader.”