Diving for Durant (or Oden)
The Boston Celtics solidified the No. 2 spot on Friday night.
(Un)fortunately for them, it’s the No. 2 spot in the NBA lottery.
In a game that paid tribute to the Celtic greats of the glory years, the current team is competing for something and it feels a little like shame. At least for the players.
“I probably (would have played), but since we were in the hunt for a high draft pick, of course things are different,” Ryan Gomes said after the loss. “I understand that. Hopefully things get better. Now that we clinched at least having the second-most balls in the lottery, the last three games we’ll see what happens. We’ll see if we can go out and finish some games.”
Gomes went on to say to the Boston Herald, “The players weren’t thinking about the lottery and all that,” said Ryan Gomes, “but reality is reality. Now that our position in the lottery is set, hopefully we can go out and win some games.
“Things could change now, but another thing you’ve got to think of is that he (Rivers) was doing that for a reason. It could be for that reason (lottery position) or it could be for getting the younger guys some playing time or seeing who’s going to be here next year. There’s a lot of things that go into that.”
People are ripping on Gomes for selling out. But who wants to play for losers? Gomes doesn’t. He was pulled from the game in third quarter, dispite having 13 points, and seems betrayed and to have lost faith in the organization. I would have.
The Celtics may have more balls in the lottery, but they’re missing two big ones. Is Durant worth losing the trust of your players? Maybe, but a team should never intentionally lose games for a draft pick. It shouldn’t be allowed, especially when it’s that obvious.
The worst part is people are calling Gomes a traitor for stating the obvious and talking about what everyone already knew the Celtics were doing. He just confirmed it. Gomes isn’t a sell out, the Celtics are. They’re selling their sole for a kid out of Texas with a shoe deal. For shame.