Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers took a page out of Miami Heat boss Pat Riley’s playbook after Thursday night’s discouraging 98-79 loss to the Heat in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. Game 7 is Saturday night in Miami.Â
“They’re not just going to pack for [Game 7],” Rivers said of his team. “They’re going to bring suits for Tuesday and they’re going to bring suits for Thursday. And that’s the way we’re going to plan to do it.”
Rivers, of course, was referencing the trip to Oklahoma City that would await the Celtics if they win Saturday night. Game 1 of the NBA Finals is a quick turnaround, Tuesday night on the Thunder’s home floor. Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday.
Leading the 2006 NBA Finals 3-2, Riley famously packed “one suit, one shirt, one tie†for his trip to Dallas for Game 6, believing his Heat would need just one game to close out the Mavericks. The Heat won Game 6, 95-92, securing a title and proving their coach prescient.
A message on the Celtics’ dry erase board reminded players of an afternoon flight with the note, “Pack for a week,” scrawled below it.
“We’re packing for a week — it’s self-explanatory,” said Keyon Dooling. “That’s how we feel about it. It’s not like we lost confidence or we’re scared to go in Miami. We’re going to be in Miami, we’re going to be ready to play.”
WRITTEN BY David Lefort | ESPNBoston.com & FULL STORY HERE
