Rivers on D&C: Too much instigating in NBA

Celtics coach Doc Rivers made his weekly appearance on the Dennis & Callahan show Thursday morning. Rivers said he, like other Boston sports fans, enjoyed watching the exciting finishes at TD Garden and Fenway Park Wednesday night. "I watched both overtimes [in the Bruins' victory]," he said. "These games go a little too long for my liking. I don't know anything about hockey. I just know what I was watching was exciting. So I did watch it. And I keep a watch on the Red Sox because of Terry [Francona]."

As for his own team, which takes a 2-0 series lead into Game 3 at Miami Friday night, Rivers said his team responded well to Kevin Garnett's Game 2 suspension. "It clearly gives you a rallying point," Rivers said. "Having said that, it could go the other way, too. For one game, it was terrific. [Glen Davis] was absolutely sensational. But I personally think the MVP of the game was Kendrick Perkins. Because most of Baby's [baskets] came off Perk's pass. ... I thought his defense, his energy, his making the hockey pass and the assist pass changed the game for us. I thought he was terrific."

Rivers said he still was disappointed Quentin Richardson was not suspended along with Garnett following their Game 1 incident. "I do think the instigator deserves to be suspended just like the retaliator," he said. "I just think there's a lot of instigating going on in our league right now. ... If the league is saying they really want to clean up fights, it's not going to work until you — Kevin should have been suspended, but so should have Quentin Richardson. I just thought both of them should have been."

Rivers said he was told the incident became heated after Richardson told Paul Pierce to get up off the floor while the players stood over the injured Celtic. Rivers said everyone should expect to see additional similar reactions from Pierce. Said Rivers: "I don't know that [Pierce was embellishing]. I will say this with Paul: The stinger thing is going to continue to happen, I guess, going by [trainer Ed Lacerte], because it's a nerve. Once it starts, it's tough to settle down until you rest it, I don't think that's the last time we'll see that with Paul."

While the Heat are struggling in the postseason, they are in line to make a major splash in the offseason as they have plenty of cap space to sign one of the marquee free agents. "Yeah, I don't think there's a question about that," Rivers said. "No state taxes, 80 degrees, South Beach, Dwyane Wade. You can make a point [that] they have the best position of all the teams."

To hear the interview, click on the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page.