What we are learning 13 years after the last NBA lockout is that there is a mammoth difference between good physical conditioning and basketball shape. Not one Celtic reported to camp in poor shape. There were a bunch of lean guys who seemed ready to begin an abbreviated session, but the moment Rivers began five-on-five drills, it was apparent that they were not.
Paul Pierce went down with a bruised right heel. Chris Wilcox has already injured his shoulder and calf. Keyon Dooling has missed six games with a strained knee. Sasha Pavlovic sprained his left wrist. And Jermaine O’Neal has been slowed at times by sore knees.
Rivers admits his team was unprepared for the season, and that’s something he mistakenly takes responsibility for. He was not allowed contact with the players during the lockout. He could not give them workout regimens. He trusted his veteran core to report to camp not just fit, but in “basketball shape.’’
They failed him, and the Celtics haven’t resembled themselves until the past few days. Pierce shot 30 percent over a seven-game period before coming on the past two games. Kevin Garnett has labored on the court at times, and Rivers had to devise a five-minute-per-appearance plan.
Rivers said the only players to show up to Waltham prepared to start a season in 16 days were Ray Allen (no shocker there) and Rajon Rondo. The rest of the roster let the coach down because he trusted them too much.
“We were not ready to start the season, bottom line,’’ Rivers said a few days ago. “I said that in camp, you can see it. And we’re trying to get there.
“It’s difficult, and we will get there, but it’s not fun losing games when you’re trying to get right. You shouldn’t be trying to get right when the season starts, and we are. You can’t use the lockout as an excuse, because other teams didn’t; they came in ready. And it’s our fault.’’
