Boston coach Doc Rivers never imagined he would be quoting a South African’s advice on coping with adversity to help the Celtics win Game 1 of the National Basketball Association Finals.<
But those words and emotional imagery evoking Willis Reed’s memorable 1970 NBA Finals return for New York in a seventh game were critical to Boston’s 98-88 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Thursday’s NBA Finals opener.
Boston forward Paul Pierce went down with a sprained right ankle 5:11 into the third period when colliding with Boston’s Kendrick Perkins and was writhing in pain before being carried off by teammates with the Lakers ahead 62-58.
PHOTO: EPA
“Once I heard the knee pop and I couldn’t move it at first, I thought that was it,” Pierce said.
That’s when Rivers gathered the Celtics in a huddle during a timeout and reminded them of Nelson Mandela and South Africa’s struggles with apartheid, something the team has studied to inspire and motivate during this season.
“I reminded them of ‘Cheetah,’ the guy from South Africa who told us there will be adversity and you have got to overcome it,” Rivers said. “I was really proud of our team. We could have easily felt sorry for ourselves.”
Rivers admitted he was scared when he saw Pierce tumble to the court and grabbing his knee in pain, but talked tough to his team.
“We’re the better team,” Rivers told the Celtics in the huddle. “Nothing can get you down. What do you do with adversity? You overcome it. That’s why we play with 12 guys.”
Instead, the Celtics fought back and when Pierce returned minutes later, drew strength from his effort.
“Once I got to the back I stood on my own two feet,” Pierce said. “I tried to put weight on it. Wasn’t bad. I tried to move lateral, a little soreness. Once I could put weight on it I felt I had to get back out there to help.”
In a series tinted with nostalgia between the NBA’s most historic clubs, Pierce’s return prompted chants of “Willis Reed” from the crowd.
It was injured New York star Reed who walked onto the court in 1970 for a seventh game against the Lakers to help inspire the Knicks to a victory and a title at Madison Square Garden.
“I wasn’t trying to imitate him,” Pierce said. “It was a situation where that’s where I was. I got hurt, came back, jumped out there. I’m just glad I was able to get back out there.”
Pierce hit back-to-back three-pointers and scored four points in the fourth quarter to help spur the Celtics to victory despite having to ride a stationary bicycle during breaks in order to keep his knee fit.
“I just didn’t want to sit down and get stiff. I said let me give it a try and see how I feel,” Pierce said.
The Lakers were naysayers when it came to the emotional benefits of Pierce’s return, seeing his three-pointers as more important.
“I don’t know how much him coming back changed the energy in the game,” Lakers star Derek Fisher said. “They had already changed the momentum.”
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