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Rivers acknowledged the months ahead may not be easy for Collins. In the bigger picture, however, he saw this announcement as a good thing for his former player. "It's funny, in some ways I'm happy for Jason," said Rivers. "I can't imagine trying to be something, and then try to be something else. I'm happy for him." SI.com

Doc Rivers, Jason Collins 

Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers released the following statement on Jason Collins, who revealed in Sports Illustrated that he is gay: "I am extremely happy and proud of Jason Collins. He’s a pro’s pro. He is the consummate professional and he is one of my favorite “team” players I have ever coached. If you have learned anything from Jackie Robinson, it is that teammates are always the first to accept. It will be society who has to learn tolerance. One of my favorite sayings is, 'I am who I am, are whom we are, can be what I want to be it's not up to you, it’s just me being me.'" ESPN.com

Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards, Doc Rivers, Jason Collins 

Chris Herring: Doc Rivers suggested that Jason Terry's been "angry" ever since the J.R. Smith elbow, and that his team might have been woken up by it. Twitter @HerringWSJ

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Jason Terry, J.R. Smith 

The Knicks have outclassed Boston, holding them to 75 points per game on 39.5-percent shooting. “For this organization, it’s great for not only our players and ownership, it’s great for our fans,” Woodson said. “People who came out and pay their hard-earned money to watch us play, we had some tough years. They should be enjoying this.’’ Boston coach Doc Rivers fumed about the Smith elbow, saying he wished he was “still a player’’ so he could settled the score. The NBA may not have wanted Smith on the parquet today for fear of a potential rhubarb. “He’s handled it the right way,” Anthony said. “He felt bad about it. We accepted it and moved on.” New York Post

Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Doc Rivers, Mike Woodson, JR Smith 

Molly McGrath: Doc Rivers on taking away the Knicks fire power on offense: "We have to be anti-NRA and take their guns away." (Chuckles) Twitter @MollyAMcGrath

Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Doc Rivers 

"We can be more creative. I have to be," head coach Doc Rivers said before Thursday's practice. "Because that’s just asking Paul to do too much. We're asking him to guard Carmelo (Anthony) at the time, asking him to bring the ball up the floor at times, we’re asking him to be our post passer. Listen, he’s Paul Pierce. He’s not Christopher Reeve." Booth Newspapers

Boston Celtics, Paul Pierce, Doc Rivers 

Celtics guard Courtney Lee played just four minutes in an 87-71 loss to the Knicks in Game 2, and now we know why. Doc Rivers confirmed Thursday that Lee has fallen out of his rotation. "I'm not playing him right now," said Rivers. "Honestly, Jordan [Crawford] has moved in front of him on the depth chart. But Courtney will have a say in this series. I believe that." Boston Globe

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Courtney Lee 

Jeff Zillgitt: NBA fines Doc Rivers $25K for his criticism of officials after Game 2. He called fouls on Kevin Garnett "horrendous." Story soon. Twitter @JeffZillgitt

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Kevin Garnett 

Ben Rohrbach: Doc adds on Rondo: "He absolutely has a great value sitting around, b/c he's a PG. Helps guards, coaches. He's been very, very good for us." Twitter @brohrbach

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Rajon Rondo 

I asked Phil Jackson about Mark Jackson. I again expected a cliche answer about what a swell job Mark Jackson is doing. Instead: "I have some problems with guys going directly from the (television) booth to coaching, without any preparation," said Phil Jackson, who worked his way up from coaching in minor-league outposts like Albany and Puerto Rico. "It's not that easy. Doc Rivers did it, and other guys have done it, and I think Mark was prepared to do that, but it's still a shock, so to speak - the practice, preparation and the whole nine yards, when you've been sitting on the observing end of it. ... "But I hold nothing against Mark for having the opportunity." San Francisco Chronicle

Doc Rivers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Mark Jackson, Puerto Rico 

Chris Mannix: Someone just asked Doc Rivers how important winning Game 3 was for the city of Boston, post marathon. Really? Twitter @ChrisMannixSI

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Boston 

Evans Clinchy: "I don't do that. I don't use tragedy for sports. We want to win because we want to win." --Doc Rivers on the marathon being "inspirational" Twitter @evansclinchy

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Boston 

Jared Zwerling: I asked Doc Rivers about Jason Kidd. Gave a great response. Part of it was, "He beats everybody with his brain." #Knicks Twitter @JaredZwerling

Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Doc Rivers, Jason Kidd 

Rajon Rondo is with the team for the start of the playoffs. Rivers is happy to have him along, noting, "I want him around. He’s a good mind. He’s a great, great mind. And he knows the game. He’s a smart kid. People have no idea his IQ, they really don’t. It’s funny right now, even after our shootaround, he’s into it." Rondo had previously planned to join the team on Friday, but couldn't get out until the manhunt ended around Boston. ESPN.com

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Rajon Rondo 

Chris Forsberg: Doc happy to have Rondo along for start of playoffs. Can he help? Rivers: “I always tell if he wasn’t so crazy, he’d be a great coach.” Twitter @ESPNForsberg

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Rajon Rondo 

So here comes Anthony roaring into the playoffs tomorrow at the Garden playing the best basketball of his life, except the proud, old Celtics won’t care much that he led the league in scoring. If it won’t be Doc Rivers doing everything in his power to take Melo out of the game and make others beat him, it will be Kevin Garnett doing everything in his power to get in Anthony’s head and make it snap, crackle, pop once again. Kenyon Martin says Melo need not worry. “I got it,” Martin told The Post yesterday. In what way? “It won’t happen, man, ’cause he ain’t gotta do all that bangin’ and all that with KG no more,” K-Mart said. Because? “Cause I’m here,” he said. New York Post

Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Doc Rivers, Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin, Kevin Garnett 

Joe Kotoch: Other names to watch in Cavs coaching search are John Calipari & Doc Rivers. Both are extremely unlikely. Twitter @Probballdraft

Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Doc Rivers, Coaching, John Calipari 

His car emerged from a nearby tunnel when a bomb exploded. He didn’t hear it, but he soon saw people running and ambulances. He clicked the radio on. He heard. From there, the Celtics coach just wanted to go home. “It was hysteria, it was crazy,” he said Tuesday, when his team was practicing here instead of preparing to play the Indiana Pacers at TD Garden because the NBA canceled that game in light of the deadly bombings at the Marathon. Rivers estimated that it took him an hour to travel five blocks. Like many phones in the city, his wasn’t taking calls. But text messages came through. He said he received a “million” of them, from friends, family, other NBA coaches. Boston Globe

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Boston 

Rivers’s family, knowing he lives near the finish line, reached out often, and his daughter called and texted over and over and over. He finally got back, saying he was fine. First responders told everyone nearby to stay inside. Rivers didn’t leave his residence the rest of the night. But Rivers stared out the window near the Marathon’s finish and saw clusters of people wandering, gathering at Boston Common. “They didn’t have anywhere to go,” he said. Boston Globe

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Boston 

Peter Stringer: Gotham: "The NBA and the Celtics were on the same page. There was not a debate about not playing this game." Twitter @celtics

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers