Scalabrine On Toucher & Rich: Doc Will Be Coaching Clippers Next Year
BOSTON (CBS) - The NBA squashed the Celtics-Clippers deal that would have sent Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett to Los Angeles, but former Celtics Brian Scalabrine still believes the deal will get done at some point.
"I think this deal will go through," he told 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich on Friday. "I know the NBA stalled it on Thursday, and they'll have to figure out a way for the NBA to approve, but it seems like Doc is going to be heading to the Clippers, and I assume Kevin Garnett will be heading there too."
The Celtics were set to receive two first-round picks in the deal, but they would likely be at the bottom of the first round. Are those picks even worth anything?
"If you're rebuilding, low draft picks are incredibly important to the process," said Scal. "You're not going out there trying to find a super star, you're trying to find a role player who will make $1 million who is a $6 million player. It allows you to be competitive, improve assets, and still be under the cap so you can make that run at a major star, if free agency is the way you want to do it."
The Miami Heat captured their second straight NBA Title Thursday night with a Game 7 win over the San Antonio Spurs. Earlier in the week, former Celtic Ray Allen said his 2010 Boston team took their Game 7 against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2010 "too lightly." What are Scal's thoughts on that comment?
"I don't disagree with Ray 100-percent, but I don't agree with Ray 100-percent. I think whats hes trying to say, and I'm only speculating, we thought that we had two games to win one," he said. "The one regret, and if I ever coach Ill never be this way, I believe in 2010 we took a lot of games lightly. We only won 50 games that year, and had the ability to turn it on in the Finals. We went all the way to Game 7 with a team that was the fourth seed in the East. Overall, the entire year, we thought we were going to win the Championship and it's not like that."
"We didn't have that sense of urgency, and that's why I believe we lost the Championship," he said. "The whole season, we took games lightly and thought we would win the Championship just because. It doesn't work like that"
Allen will now get another Championship ring. How does Scalabrine feel about his departure for Miami now that it's paid off with another title.
"I never had a problem with Ray leaving," said Scal. "I don't think the Celtics valued him as much because Avery Bradley was coming to his own, and after the season they realized how much they missed him -- the after timeout plays or big shots down the stretch. I have no problem with what he did. If he wants to go chase a Championship that's fine."
