12.26.2018

Garnett Wins Auerbach Award

4/12/2008

Garnett Wins Auerbach Award

Kevin Garnett met Red Auerbach early in his career, with Kevin McHale facilitating the introduction. ``I don't think (Auerbach) was too thrilled to be meeting an opposing player,'' Garnett said last night after becoming the third recipient of the award that bears the late Celtics patriarch's name. ``But it was like when I met Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell of course, and Mr. (Bob) Cousy. It was an honor. I will take those meetings to my grave with me. ``Red solidifies basketball history with all the prestige. It's huge. Obviously the award hasn't been out that long, but it solidifies the excellence of the team as a whole, the history of basketball in general.''



The announcement of the award, which goes to the player ``who best exemplifies the spirit of what it means to be a Celtic,'' didn't exactly surprise anyone.

``They robbed me,'' joked Paul Pierce, who won the first Auerbach award two years ago.

``It's good for him, man,'' Pierce said. ``We've got to keep him happy.''

Doc Rivers, also in a joking mood, said, ``Maybe it will give him more energy.

``Obviously we all knew how good he was as a player. But as a person he's exceeded everything I knew or thought.''

Hamm-ond it up

Though John Hammond - second in command to Joe Dumars in Detroit the last seven years - was officially named as Milwaukee's general manager during the third quarter of last night's game, Rivers spilled the beans earlier. He once played for Hammond with the Clippers, and has great respect for the man, so the Celtics coach figured it was all right to talk.

``A very good choice,'' he said. ``It's not official? Well, let's make it official. It's a great choice that came out of nowhere. He obviously coached the game and he's been upstairs, so he knows both sides. The good thing is that he has a good feel for the coaches as well.''

Meaningless mark

With Pierce leading the team with a 19.9 scoring average, it's conceivable that none of the Celtics will break the 20-point mark.

``I haven't even thought about that,'' Pierce said. ``The results I care about are wins.''

Playoff preview?

Considering Atlanta's battle with Indiana for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot, tonight's Hawks-Celtics game carries a lot of implications.

``It's definitely a game you want to win, but this is the time of year when coaches like to play their chess matches,'' Pierce said. ``So who plays and who doesn't can sometimes be hard to figure.''

Rivers indicated he has no intention of deviating from his recent method of staffing games, even if it means giving more time to his bench.

But at this stage of the season there's little in the playbook that is a mystery.

``This has to be the most overscouted league in the world,'' Rivers said. ``You don't want to run any new (plays), but now when you call a timeout, it's going to be for something you've run already, anyway.''

Injury report

Leon Powe (ankle) and Eddie House (groin) sat out last night's game.

Glen Davis, whose sore hamstring drew a derisive ``he's living up to his nickname'' response from Rivers in Washington on Wednesday, had six points and four rebounds in his return last night. . . .

Scot Pollard, who has television experience dating back to his time with Sacramento, is about to reprise that role during tonight's game alongside Mike Gorman and Greg Dickerson.

No comments: