Doc Rivers relates the one thing he’d argue with KG over on Celtics

‘Ubuntu’ might have been the engine of Boston’s 2007-08 title team, but that doesn’t mean the Celtics’ philosophy never backfired.

The 2007-08 Boston Celtics hit the ground running, their chemistry driving their success with three stars making sacrifices for the success of the team.

That attitude — dubbed ‘Ubuntu’ after a Nguni Bantu term meaning ‘I am because we are’ by then-head coach Doc Rivers — formed the bedrock Banner 17 was won with.

But it wasn’t always easy going despite the ease it translated to on-court action with, but not in the way most might expect. The desire to win in selfless fashion was so great at times, it could become a problem unto itself.

In a recent interview with former Celtics center Kendrick Perkins in which the duo reminisced about that era on the ESPN show “Hoop Streams”, Rivers was asked how the team had to adjust with three high-caliber offensive threats on the roster at once.

“I got Kevin [Garnett], Ray [Allen] and Paul [Pierce], and the first three guys, … they’ll tell you we had this big meeting where we went on the duck boat — just us three,” Doc began.

“And I asked them what are they going to give up? ‘What are you guys going to give up to win?’ And they all were looking at me like they didn’t understand exactly what I meant. And I give Kevin, like Kevin right away [he] answered. His question was, what do you need me to give up?”

“And I said ‘Shots,'” continued Rivers. “‘You know, I know you guys would give up shots. I need you guys to defend — I need you to play together.'”

Garnett, it seems, took the advice to heart — too much, in fact.

“Me and KG’s arguments were all for him not shooting,” revealed the former Celtics head coach. “Most of the time, if you remember, I would call the timeout and said — and yelled it: ‘Move the ball,'” laughed Rivers.

“And he said, ‘Yeah, that’s what I’m doing.’ I said, ‘No, no, we’re saying move it to you, so you can shoot it, not so you can pass it!’; Kevin was so unselfish. As a player you there were many times that I had to give them a number before the game as far as you have to take this many shots for us to win.”

“He’s the only guy I’ve ever had to do that to,” finished the former Celtics coach.

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