Boston Celtics: The 25 Most Hated Opponents
By Bill Speros
20. Jermaine O’Neal
One of the most dysfunctional love-hate relationships in Celtics lore. Before he played for Boston, he had earned the ire of Boston fans and players as a member of the then-dominant Pacers. As a member of the Celtics, he often clashed with coach Doc Rivers, who saw O’Neal as a me-first player, and ended up as a big bust.
O’Neal came to Boston after the Celtics had lost to the Lakers in Game 7 of the 2010 finals due in part to the lack of any inside play. O’Neal came to the Celtics with lofty aspirations of playing in “90 percent” of the team’s games and helping Boston back to another championship. In his first season in Boston, he played 24 games and started just 10, averaging 5.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 18.0 minutes. His two years of frustration in Boston ended after he missed 77 of 126 regular season games and underwent wrist surgery. During his rehab, he often angered Rivers by avoiding the team.
Next: No. 19 -- The Knicks