“Just Went Up in Flames”: Heated Celtics Altercation Took Ugly Turn Despite Kevin Garnett’s Best Attempts at Playing Peacemaker

Kevin Garnett’s Boston Celtics was one of the toughest teams in the NBA, at one point. With Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, and many more, the Celtics used to give their opponents nightmares. However, the tables turned when a locker room fight within the team became the focal point of conversation. The Celtics duo of KG and Paul Pierce joined their former head coach Doc Rivers to look back at the incident in a new podcast episode. 

Garnett started, “That was probably the roughest night of all of us”, and Rivers chimed in, “We clinched the game, and you and Brandon Bass…about to fight”. Pierce and Bass got into an unexpected altercation in the locker room, despite clinching a spot in the postseason with a win against the Indiana Pacers. Rivers added, “I’m sitting there, Kevin’s yelling at me, ‘You can’t get involved’. 

KG explained why he did so, “I was trying to have the coaches stay out of it and he was trying to resolute, and then the locker just went up in flames“. Poor Doc. Anyhow, the 25-year-long head coach went on, “I sat there and I waited and then Ray and Rondo started getting into it”.

Well, it’s the Celtics. What could you expect? Things only escalated from there, but the pressure was high on Rivers. 

How did Doc Rivers use his brilliance to conceal the locker room fight from the media? 

Rivers had to attend the media when the fight was escalating. The 62-year-old shared, “I had to do the media…So y’all arguing. But I got to go up and do the media. The media’s outside the door”. Well, Rivers had a solid plan. He still heard his men fighting and arguing in the locker room. And so, he decided to take advantage of the win they secured, to sell it differently to the media. 

Read more: Hilarious Golf Incident Helped Celtics’ ‘Cinnabon’ Quest for Kevin Garnett Despite Initial Rejection

Rivers revealed, “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 fighting there at that time”. KG and Pierce had no idea that Rivers did this. The 2008 champions couldn’t control their laughter. That’s sheer brilliance from the coach. To explain how things were inside the locker room, KG termed it, “The Royal Rumble”. Rivers also told the media that he was going back into the locker room to celebrate with the guys. 

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That’s a great escape! What are your thoughts on the above story? Share your take in the comments below.