Boston Globe - Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge flew into Los Angeles from Phoenix yesterday morning, arriving in plenty of time to watch his team play the Clippers last night at Staples Center. Ainge will travel with the team to Denver for tomorrow night's game against the Nuggets. He said this scouting trip was planned long ago, but with the Celtics in disarray, the timing naturally raises suspicion.
As the Celtics continue to slump -- they had lost the first three games on the five-game trip -- a major change appears necessary. Forget all the talk of taking a step back to move forward. They are fundamentally flawed. They do not work well together on the court, no matter how many combinations coach Doc Rivers tries. Anyone who has watched Boston fail to play defense on the trip and commit turnover after turnover can see that. Ainge certainly does.
''I think the blame is on everybody," said Ainge. ''But if you can't improve defensively, if you can't improve in limiting turnovers, then you need a change in personnel. No question.
''But I can't make a decision based on what our record is. I have to do what's best for the team. I can't try to put Band-Aids on the bleeding right now. That's up to the coaches and the players to fix the defense and the turnovers. It's on them right now."
When it was pointed out that Ainge brought in Rivers and, with the notable exception of Paul Pierce, he drafted, signed, or acquired in trade all the players on the roster, Ainge said, ''It's on me, too, because of the players and coaches we have. I don't believe we've explored all the options, all the combinations on the roster. Maybe players who are not playing deserve a chance. I know Doc has tried a lot of different combinations.
''At the same time, maybe it calls to shake things up. If the players [who are on the floor] can't defend, can't take care of the ball, then the players who can deserve a chance."
http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/38518/20060101/ainge_talks_of_need_for_change/