Doc Rivers must have really bugged the Celtics with all of his Miami Heat chatter because the Celtics continue to make comments like they were prize-fighting boxers (via Masslive)

“We just feel like all the other teams are going to be just opponents – we’re going to beat and handle them. But (the) Miami (Heat), we need to run through them,” guard Courtney Lee said.

“Not once, not twice, not three times, but more,” Lee said before the Celtics met the New York Knicks in a preseason contest at the XL Center Saturday night. “It’s non-stop. Practice situations, it’s like, ‘What are you going to do? This is LeBron, this is (Dwyane) Wade.’ We feel like we’re going to play against them tonight.”

This quotation seems like a serious shot at everyone else coming out of the west, including both squads who call New York their home.  Both of the Spike Lee and Jay-Z endorsed teams have refueled their rosters with increased talent.  There is also Philly who added Andrew Bynum– an important cog for the 76ers, which will be especially daunting for the Celtics considering their lack of size.  So far all the teams mentioned are only in the Celtics division (sorry Toronto), while the east has other threats such as the Pacers and the Bulls.

The Celtics do seem to be the favorites in the east after the Heat, but to write off all of the other teams near the Atlantic Ocean might be a bit premature.  But the thing is, Lee is probably right.  The Celtics depth and talent put them on a level where they may not need to pull out all the stops to get a win.  Conversely when the Celtics play against the Heat?  Release all the bulldogs.

This display of confidence comes from one of the Celtic’s new guys, and shows how quickly Rivers and the rest of the team leaders can influence the newcomers to embrace the ‘Celtic way’.