Getty Doc Rivers admitted he had to tell a lie to the media in 2012 as his Boston Celtics team was brawling in the locker room.
The Boston Celtics didn’t suffer a whole lot of losses on the court during the Big Three era of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. The Celtics won their 17th championship in 2008, the first year the trio was together. They returned to the NBA Finals in 2010, only to lose to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games.
Sure, there was some dissention among the players during that time, as would be the case with any ultra-competitive team. Recently, Garnett and Pierce got together with then-head coach Doc Rivers to reminisce about their time together in Boston. Rivers admitted to the two stars that he had to cover up for a locker room brawl that took place in Indiana in 2012 by lying to the media during his postgame press conference.
Doc Rivers Admits He Had to Cover Up a Celtics Fight in the Locker Room
Rivers was a recent guest on the “All the Smoke” podcast with Garnett and Pierce. The three reflected on some of their biggest moments together, and it wasn’t just about winning games and big plays. He brought up a time when the Celtics defeated the Indiana Pacers, and things didn’t go so well.
“I remember one in Indiana,” Rivers said of the 87-72 victory. “That was a rough one.
“We clinched the game, and you (Pierce) and Brandon Bass were about to fight. I’m sitting there and Kevin’s yelling at me, ‘You gonna get involved?'”
“I was trying to have the coaches stay out of it,” Garnett interjected. “I was trying to resolute, and then the locker room just went up.”
Rivers said he had to leave and do his media session.
“Ray (Allen) and (Rajon) Rondo started getting into it, but I had to go do the media,” Rivers said. “Y’all don’t even know this part. Y’all are arguing, and the media is right outside the door.
“I left the room, and I could still hear you fighting and arguing. I walk out to the media, and I said, ‘Listen to our guys. They’re celebrating. This is the most wonderful team.’ And they’re in there fighting at the time.”
Rivers Said He Went Back In To Break Up the Fights
While Rivers told the story, Garnett and Pierce laughed.
“We were about to get it on,” Garnett said. “It’s about to be the Royal Rumble here.”
Rivers had to find a way to stall before letting the media in.
“I actually said, ‘I’m not going to let you in right away. I’m going to go back in and celebrate with the guys,'” Rivers said.
Rivers’ acting skills paid off.
“I actually had to go back in there and break up the fights,” he said. “The media never found out. No one ever found out, which is great. Yeah, it got squashed, but that’s part of it — families. It really is.
“As a coach, I’ve had some really crazy…”
“You gotta write a book,” Pierce said.
“I’m gonna have to change the names,” Rivers said. “I’m gonna have to.”