NBA | Doc Rivers: three more years with Celtics

BOSTON — Doc Rivers received a contract extension giving him three more years as coach of the Boston Celtics after leading them to an NBA title one year following the second-worst season in team history.

Rivers' contract, which had one year left, was extended through the 2010-11 season at an annual salary of about $5.5 million, according to a person familiar with the deal.

Rivers coached the Celtics to their NBA-record 17th championship and their first in 22 years in his fourth season as coach. Their 66-16 regular-season record was the best in the NBA and third best in club history.

They were 45-37 in his first season but just 24-58 in his third. The one-year, 42-win turnaround from that is a league record.

"He can handle the pressure of having to go through losses. He was extremely even-keel in the worst periods," said Steve Pagliuca, a team owner and managing partner.

The fortunes of the team turned around when it obtained guard Ray Allen from Seattle and forward Kevin Garnett from Minnesota in separate trades before last season.

The deals cost them several young players they had stockpiled, including Al Jefferson, who was developing into an outstanding forward.

But Rivers proved as adept at leading veteran stars as he was at teaching inexperienced players. That was one major reason the Celtics decided to extend his contract.

"We felt that Doc did an outstanding job ever since he's been here with the young players and transforming the veterans we have into a championship team," Pagliuca said.

The Celtics lost forward James Posey to free agency but are optimistic about draft choices J.R. Giddens, a guard, and Billy Walker, a forward. The entire starting lineup of Garnett, Allen, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins returns.

James' loyalties irk Cleveland fans

CLEVELAND — LeBron James, who last season showed up at an Indians playoff game against New York sporting a Yankees cap, was on Dallas' sideline during pregame warmups before the Browns' season opener against the Cowboys. In full view of Browns players, James, again wearing the Yankees cap and a blue-and-silver T-shirt, chatted with Dallas owner Jerry Jones and hugged Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens and cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones.

"It didn't bother me," Browns receiver Braylon Edwards said. "As I've gotten to know LeBron, LeBron isn't a Cleveland guy. LeBron only plays for the Cavaliers, and who knows if he even likes the Cavaliers? He doesn't like the Indians. He doesn't like the Browns. He's a guy from Akron who likes everybody but his hometown.

"I don't know how that's possible, but it is what it is, and he is who he is. You know, it's LeBron."

Note

• Former Kansas teammates Darrell Arthur and Mario Chalmers were fined $20,000 apiece after being banished last week from the NBA rookie symposium, the league said. Security at the resort where the event took place found Arthur and Chalmers in a room with two women, and the scent of marijuana was detected. No drugs or drug paraphernalia were found.