Rivers wants more aggression from C's in Game 2

By Peter F. Stringer
Celtics.com
May 2, 2010

CLEVELAND - Reflecting on a Game 1 loss that slipped away from them, the Celtics watched film and then took to the floor for practice at the Q on Sunday afternoon, looking to fix what ailed them on Saturday night against the Cavaliers.

Guys talked about doing a better job of stopping LeBron James (35 points) and Mo Williams, but the overall message from the C's was that they needed to be more aggressive and a lot more physical if they're going to earn a split here in Cleveland and steal Game 2 on Monday night.

Coach Doc Rivers said his team didn't go to Rajon Rondo enough in the second half, since he was dominating his matchups for most of the night.

"It's a tough one for Rondo because he's so conscious of trying to get Paul and Ray (involved), but I told him, 'If you've got a pick-and-roll advantage, we want you to take advantage.' We've got to attack more."

Rivers also made a point of explaining that the Cavs got too many easy layups at the basket, and landed on their feet after converting, while the C's ended up on their backs on more than one occasion.

"LeBron, Mo Williams, all of them, they got layups last night and stood. We got layups last night and we were on the floor pulling each other up," Rivers said, before stopping himself.

The unspoken message was clear. The Celtics have to make the Cavs pay the price for going to the hoop.

While Rasheed Wallace, who Rivers noted "has to play better defensively," did get a pretty stiff foul on James in the early goings, as the game wore on the Cavs were the ones dealing out the playoff-variety fouls. Rondo took the brunt of the physicality, taking a pair of brutal fouls from Shaquille O'Neal, who didn't have to do anything dirtier than just fly through his air space. Few human beings, let alone 6-foot-1 point guards, are going to win that battle.

"I'm still gonna attack," Rondo said on Sunday.

And as Rondo pointed out on Sunday afternoon, he's the smallest guy on the court, so it's up to his bigs to return the favor. And while foul trouble is always a concern in the playoffs, Rivers told the media after last night's loss that he's not too concerned with it, as he's got enough bigs who can play.

Does that reserve mean Shelden Williams will see some action in Game 2? Rivers made it clear it's a possibility.

"[Shelden] enters the discussion every day. He's in our discussion. No doubt about that," Rivers said.

And if size continues to be an issue and the C's need a few extra fouls, even Brian Scalabrine, who's been inactive throughout the first six games of the postseason, could find himself back in uniform to give the Celtics some added physicality (or just extra fouls) along the front line.