doc rivers

Sunday was a welcome off day for Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who had few words for reporters Saturday night after receiving news of the death of his former coach and close friend Rick Majerus. It wasn’t lost on Rivers that he was in Milwaukee, where his retired number and photo hang from the rafters of the Bradley Center after three successful seasons at Marquette University.

Rivers has a special bond to Milwaukee, and it was also where he became close to Majerus, who was an assistant to head coach Hank Raymonds at Marquette.

Rivers knew before tipoff Saturday night against the Bucks that Majerus was near death and he appeared emotional at tipoff when stories began surfacing that Majerus had died. In Milwaukee, obviously, this story carried special meaning. Majerus was beloved for his years at Marquette and there isn’t a time here when Rivers isn’t asked about the state of Marquette basketball during a pregame interview.

– Reported by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe