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Celtics’ coach Doc Rivers says there’s ‘no pressure’ to draft son Austin

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If you’re betting on an Austin Rivers/Doc Rivers/Boston Celtics storyline, indications are that you shouldn’t get your hopes up.

According to a report from the Associated Press, Boston coach Doc Rivers will not pressure GM Danny Ainge into drafting Rivers’ son, Austin, in June’s NBA draft.

Rivers officially declared for the draft on Monday and will hire an agent, losing his amateur status and keeping his name on the list of early entrants.

The young Rivers averaged 15.5 points per game for the Blue Devils this season before losing in the Round of 64 to 15-seed Lehigh.

At different points this season, Rivers was both impressive and seemed to still need work. His confident, rise-and-fire buzzer-beater in early February topped off a 29-point performance in a road win over North Carolina.

But, in games like against Temple when he went 3-for-11 in a loss, there was still development to be had.

The NBA drafts on potential, for the most part, which is why draft analysts have Rivers as a borderline lottery pick, somewhere in the middle of the first round.

The Celtics are currently the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and, if the season ended today, would be slated to face Miami in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

The would seem like a tough matchup for the aging Celtics. What could that mean? A loss would put them right in the middle of the first round, outside the lottery where Rivers could fall if he slips a few spots.

But, like Doc Rivers said, Danny Ainge, no pressure.

Daniel Martin is a writer and editor at JohnnyJungle.com, covering St. John’s. You can find him on Twitter:@DanielJMartin_