The AP reports:
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Too old is a popular basketball criticism, the one used this season to discount the Celtics as a true title contender. Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen looked all of their 34 years in Boston’s 102-89 loss in Game 1, and Paul Pierce isn’t much younger.
”We’re not a young team. I can’t say that Ray is 29 and lie; he’s not. But it doesn’t affect how we play,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. ”I’m just stating a fact we are an older team, but we’re not too old. You know what I mean?
”We are an older team, we have experience. We have great experience, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m fine with that, and I have no problem with that. But I don’t run from that fact. But we’re not too old.”
In these finals between longtime rivals, the closest thing to trash talk so far was Pau Gasol’s misinterpreted comments which made it appear he was calling Garnett old. In fact, he was discussing how they were different players since Gasol entered the league nine years ago — and Gasol said it’s that age that’s made him a better player even as it’s diminished his physical skills.
