Getting a taste of what Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic can bring to the table certainly helped, but, risking a crass analogy considering the relative gravity, the progression is not unlike the stages of grief — shock, anger, acceptance.
The Celtics have shifted back into drive.
“I think so,” said Paul Pierce [stats], who went for 24 points against the Clips and knows he will benefit greatly from Green’s relief. I think we’ve kind of settled down now. I mean, I thought it was kind of like an earthquake right there for a second when the trade happened. We were suffering from the shock waves in Denver. But we picked everything up, put the pieces back together, and hopefully we can get going now.”
Krstic had six offensive rebounds and nine points Saturday, drilling a 20-footer in the third quarter that gave the Celts their first lead since 6-4.
Green overcame some early anxiety to score seven points, displaying a versatility that will make him a good fit with either Rajon Rondo [stats] or Delonte West at the point.
Both, however, were a step behind on defensive rotations, but that was to be expected since they had just a little more than an hour with their mates Saturday morning to soak in the system.
“It’s going to take time to get these guys going, but I think guys, hopefully after (Saturday), can get past it,” Pierce said. “Definitely it’s hard because it’s not only a teammate, it’s a friend. I’ve been there with Perkins since Day 1. I’ve seen where he started and where he got to.”
But now the Celtics have new talent to incorporate, and it’s important that they facilitate the process.
“We have no choice,” Pierce said. “We’ve still got to keep our eyes on the prize — it’s to win a championship, and we can’t lose focus from that.
“We’ve got to work with what’s in the room and just play basketball. It is what it is. No more crying over spilled milk. We had a day for that, and now it’s time to play.”
Ray Allen was typically philosophical in assessing the situation.
“You have to sympathize with a guy who gets traded,” he said. “But the one thing people never look at is that, as much as there’s somebody going, there’s somebody coming. It’s a two-way street. And I’ve always said it’s not like you’re going to jail. You know, like, ‘Oh, woe is me. It’s the worst thing possible.’ You still play basketball. So you’ve got to take what you know going into a new situation and try to become a better player.
“Now you have to welcome the new guys that are here and get them on the same page so we can try to work this thing without missing a beat.”
Kevin Garnett isn’t giving up his hurt without a fight, but he busied himself Saturday by engaging Krstic in long talks to set their defensive communication.
“He’s open, and that’s the important thing,” Garnett said.
“The emotional part (of the trade) is what it is. You have to separate the two. My whole thing in this is just embrace change. That’s what I’m doing.”
Celtics notes
Green’s first shot as a Celtic was a hideously bricked free throw. He then gathered himself and poured in the second.
In case you missed it from the final edition of the Sunday Herald, there was a priceless moment on the Celtics [team stats] bench when Krstic got two offensive rebounds on the team’s first possession.
Coach Doc Rivers turned to assistant Lawrence Frank, who coached Krstic with the Nets, and asked, “Does he do that all the time?”
Replied Frank: “If he did, I’d still be in New Jersey.”
Good article
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