Doc Rivers: Celtics are 'not scare of anybody'

http://www.csnne.com/boston-celtics/rivers-celtics-are-not-scared-anybody



Rivers: Celtics are 'not scared of anybody'



February 11, 2016, 11:15 am







BOSTON - Just as Isaiah Thomas is beginning to get the respect he deserves, so is the rest of this Celtics team.

The word is officially out: Don't sleep on the Celtics.

A buzzer-beating win in Cleveland last week. An overtime battle against the Clippers Wednesday night. There aren't many hotter NBA teams than the C's right now headed into the All-Star Break.

Kings coach George Karl said on Sunday that the Celtics could give the Cavaliers a run for their money in the playoffs. And three days later, Doc Rivers didn't mince words.

"Yeah, they could make a run. Listen, they're not scared of anybody," Rivers said after the Celtics beat his Clippers, 139-134. "They've got a bunch of junkyard dogs who can play. Watching the growth of Avery [Bradley] and Jared [Sullinger] has been phenomenal and they've got guys that can play. You better be ready when you play them or you're going to lose to them."

You can't say the Clippers weren't ready. The two teams battled for 53 minutes. But the Celtics fought back from five points down with 1:16 remaining in regulation. They then fought back from five points down in overtime with 3:51 remaining.

Key word: fought. The Celtics know they might not be the most talented team on the court, but they can make up for that by working harder.

"Playing hard is a skill," Rivers said. "Everyone just can't do it. There's guys that are energy players and there's guys who don't play with energy. And the Celtics have a whole team full of energy players and talented energy players. So we knew that going into the game. And at the end of the day it won out for them."



bob



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