Boston Celtics: "48-hour rule"

The Celtics won't have morning shootarounds this season... well, that is, if they have touched a basketball at some point within the 48 hours before a game.  If the C's have had at least 48 consecutive hours off, they will assemble in the morning for a normal walkthrough, just like any other boring team (via ESPNBoston):

"One thing we decided is a new rule -- the 48-hour rule," said Rivers. "If we go 48 hours without touching a basketball, we'll have a [morning] shootaround. We didn't practice [Wednesday], so if you go game to no practice, to a game the next night, it's too long without a ball. I think this is, what, our second [shootaround]? Otherwise, there's no shootarounds."

As a player, I always hated morning shootarounds.  Waking up when I would otherwise be sleeping seemed pointless and counter-productive to me; I always wanted a good rest before a game, rather than a pointless walkthrough.  I can understand the reasoning behind a shootatound:  Wake everyone up, make sure they don't go out too late the night before, attempt to focus everyone on the game.  But I was always a fan of that extra couple hours of sleep.

Apparently, Gregg Popovich agrees with me and Doc about considering a morning shootaround to be more or less worthless (via the San Antonio Express-News):

“We’ve been thinking for several years now: How can we maximize their rest and recovery?” Popovich said. “The shootarounds were the beginning. The next step was actually giving them more time to get more sleep.

“You need sleep. Sleep means recovery, mental and physical. Your body rejuvenates. So we felt getting out of the morning practices was important.”

Amen.  I only wish my college coach had felt the same way.  Those 8:00 or 9:00 a.m. wakeup calls were no fun.