Report: Doc Rivers Runs Celtics Hard in Practice, Wants Players in Better Shape

by abournenesn

Jan 10, 2012

The veteran Celtics planned to use the current four-day stretch without a game as a chance to get a rare amount of rest in this condensed 2011-12 season.

After a weary-looking loss to the Pacers on Friday, coach Doc Rivers wanted to make sure the players didn't get too much rest.

"It was long and it was a ton of running," Rivers said of Monday's practice, according to ESPN.com. "That was done on purpose."

The Celtics were expected to be one of the teams affected most by the 66-game schedule that was patched together after the lockout was lifted. The Celtics are the fourth-oldest team in the NBA by average age, and are the second-oldest when age is weighted for minutes played, according to Hoopism.

But while rest is important, so is fitness, and the Celtics coach ran the players harder than usual to improve the team's conditioning.

The Celtics will need to be in top shape for the coming schedule, which includes three games in the next four days.

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