Gerald Wallace Does NOT Back Down From Criticism

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Gerald Wallace Does NOT Back Down From Criticism Empty Gerald Wallace Does NOT Back Down From Criticism

Post by bobheckler Wed Oct 23, 2013 11:46 am

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2013/10/gerald_wallace_does_not_back_d.html



Gerald Wallace does not back down at all from Boston Celtics criticism despite coaches asking him to 'relax,' but teammates respond with 'great practice'

Print Jay King, MassLive.com By Jay King, MassLive.com
on October 22, 2013 at 3:51 PM, updated October 22, 2013 at 4:27 PM





WALTHAM – Despite saying coaches have asked him to “relax” with his harsh message to the Boston Celtics, veteran forward Gerald Wallace certainly did not back down from criticism of the team’s effort.

The good news: Head coach Brad Stevens said the Celtics responded to Wallace's original line of emotion with one of their best practices this season.

“They’re trying to tell me to relax and ease up, but the main thing is, I just want the guys to compete,” Wallace said after Tuesday’s practice. “If we lose every game, if we lose all 82 games, and we lose them going down fighting and competing hard, then I can live with that. I just can’t live with losing and we didn’t compete, we didn’t give our best effort and we just gave the game away. I don’t want that for these guys and this team. I want us to just come out and compete, and whatever happens, happens.”

“It’s nothing critical toward my teammates,” added Wallace. “It’s for the whole team. I think we’re laid back at times … we don’t put forth the effort offensively and defensively. We have to understand, we have to do things hard for 48 minutes. We don’t have the luxury of being able to take a quarter off or take five minutes off. We don’t have that luxury. We have to continue to play, continue playing hard and together for 48 minutes.”

After Sunday’s loss to Minnesota, which dropped the Celtics to 1-6 on the preseason, Wallace called out Boston’s effort. His long rant included labeling his teammates “selfish” for failing to compete for 48 minutes.

Brandon Bass said he learned about the harsh comments second-hand, noting he did not hear concerns voiced in the locker room by Wallace or Jeff Green, who also criticized the team’s effort Sunday.

“I hope everybody got the message, you know what I’m saying?” said Bass. “And just as individuals come out and give maximum effort. And that way we look good as a group. I don’t think we should point the finger at anybody. I just think each individuals should get the message from those guys moving forward. And hopefully we just stick together, because we don’t have any room for having groups and cliques of people that’s feeling a certain kind of way. We’ve got to kind of stick together.”

Head coach Brad Stevens said he was “comfortable” with the comments, suggesting the Celtics responded with vigor by holding one of the season’s best practices.

“One of the things that I appreciate is, we all discussed that in the locker room,” Stevens said. “And those guys have been in the league. Whatever those guys see, I’m comfortable with them saying that. I think the biggest key is to make sure that we’re all together and moving forward. And today’s practice was going to be our first challenge in that, and I thought it was – if not our best practice, it was definitely in our top two or three.”

“The biggest key is team, is coming together,” he continued. “That’s the hardest thing to do. It’s easy to root for guys and to be excited when things are going well. It’s hard when there’s adversity team-wise or individually. And so we’ve got to bear down to do our best to become a team, and that’s a real challenge simply because not a lot of people were here last year. That’s part of growing together and coming together. Days like today really, really help that as far as the way we practiced.”

Avery Bradley said the Celtics know they need to play harder and Wallace’s comments should not be taken the wrong way.

“You can never look at it that way. I would never look at it like that,” Bradley said. “We know he’s just trying to push us as a team. All we can do is go out here and become better as a team, and as individuals, every single day.”

Bradley continued, “That means a lot to our team, having somebody say that. It kind of pushes everybody. I feel like that’s why we had a great practice (Tuesday), because we all know that we can give a little bit more. To have one of our leaders say that, it says a lot about him to call us out for us to step up and to be better for our teammates.”

Wallace certainly did not relent Tuesday. A handful of his quotes follow below.

On the concept of losing as a motivator: “I think at the end of the day when they keep looking at the scoreboard and we’re getting our a--es kicked every night, some response has to come. The effort is something that everybody can control, everybody can look in the mirror and do something about it. It doesn’t take talent or skills to just bring effort. Just to come out every night and compete, and just give the will to win, it’s not that hard.”

On the mentality the Celtics need to take: “Our preseason is over with. (Tuesday) counts for us. Our season started (Tuesday). Everything from now on counts for us, even tomorrow night (when the Celtics host Brooklyn in the preseason finale). We have to come out and compete, and try to get a win and start off on a good note.”

On learning not being an excuse: “We just have to understand that – we know it’s a new coaching staff, we know it’s a new system, they’re putting in new systems, we’re playing defense, it’s the first time I’ve ever played defense the way Coach Stevens wants to play defense. It’s a learning curve for all of us, but at the same time we can still do it 100 percent. You can still put forth the effort … Just because it’s a learning experience doesn’t give us an excuse not to give effort every night.”

On wanting to take a regular season mentality even with one game left in the preseason: "I mean sh--, it's the regular season. We have to get geared up. We've let go of the preseason games, we've kind of figured out what we can do playing with each other. Those games are over with. We have to start building our mindset going into the regular season, and I think just the point of everybody throwing preseason around (as an) opportunity to get to know each other is one of the main reasons why we're so lackadaisical during the games. We have to get that out. Like I said, preseason is done for us. This is the start of our season right here, we have to come out and compete like we want to win every game."




bob
MY NOTE:  Jeff Green might have gotten a new heart, but he isn't using it.  Gerald Wallace is showing he has always had one.  Boy, did I underestimate his value to this team this summer.  Sorry, Gerald.


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bobheckler
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