Rest for the weary

Ailing Celtics prep for trip with a break

December 26, 2006|Shira Springer, Globe Staff

DENVER -- With the Celtics still adjusting to life without Paul Pierce and carrying a two-game losing streak into the holiday break, coach Doc Rivers wanted one last practice before players and coaches went their separate ways for Christmas. He planned a brief workout for last Saturday to review basic defensive and offensive principles because practice time will be at a premium during a five-game, seven-day trip that starts tonight in Denver. But his assistant coaches convinced Rivers that three days off would be better than grinding through another shorthanded workout.

"I think they needed a break from each other and I needed a break from them," Rivers said. "Our coaching staff talked about it and we went back on forth on it.

"I kept thinking practice and they said, 'Coach, we need their legs. We ain't going to win with our brains.' And we're not. We're not going to outthink people. We're going to have to outplay them with effort."

Considering the mounting injuries and hectic schedule, the less-is-more philosophy is best. There will be no Pierce and no Theo Ratliff on the Celtics' first swing through the Western Conference. No Wally Szczerbiak, no Kendrick Perkins, no Michael Olowokandi for at least the start of the trip. There is one practice scheduled during the trip, for Saturday, but Rivers conceded that it might end up being a film session/light workout at the team hotel.

Despite the difficulties, Rivers said he believes the Celtics can post a better-than-.500 record on the trip. After all, they have a better record on the road (6-5) than at home (4-10).

But going 3-2 against the Nuggets, Clippers, Warriors, Sonics, and Blazers would be difficult even with Pierce playing. Last season, they went 1-4 during their December/January jaunt, prompting executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge to comment that changes needed to be made. Less than a month later, Szczerbiak and Olowokandi arrived in a trade with Minnesota.

Poor play during this trip might make Ainge consider other changes, but he would rather see the young players already on the roster perform well. There will be plenty of minutes for Tony Allen, Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, and Delonte West to prove themselves.

"Whenever you lose as many players and key components as are out with us, you have to weather the storm," Ainge said. "We're certainly not the only team that has to weather the storm. There's a lot of injuries going on out in the league, but it obviously shows how valuable Paul is to us for a lot of reasons. But it's an opportunity for guys to show what they can do. They've been waiting for opportunities to play more."