Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl
Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers has returned to Boston from his Orlando, Fla., home to undergo surgery on Tuesday for a non-cancerous growth on his throat, a league source said.
Rivers will not be able to speak for two weeks after the procedure, according to the Boston Herald, which first reported the story.
“My wife will be the happiest person in the room about that,” Rivers said, according to the newspaper.
Rivers, who inked a five-year contract extension with the Celtics last week, underwent a biopsy in mid-October to determine if lesions found on his throat were cancerous. After those test results initially came back negative, Rivers joked about the scare.
“I’m going to be around for a little while, it looks like,” Rivers said in October. “I’m sure that disappoints everyone.”
Rivers revealed then how, at the urging of former Celtics coach Jim O’Brien, he’s undergone annual examinations of his throat and vocal chords for the past three years because of the stress placed on those areas by his profession. Doctors found a concerning spot during an examination, forcing Rivers to undergo the biopsy, which showed the lesions to be non-cancerous.
“Jim O’Brien suggested it two or three years ago and said every coach should do it,” said Rivers, who has been spreading the word himself. “I’m glad I did it. I think most coaches should because we yell and use our throat a lot. It makes you more susceptible.”
Chris Forsberg covers the Celtics for ESPNBoston.com.
Follow Chris Forsberg on Twitter: @ESPNForsberg