Doc Rivers: Celtics are 'a soft team right now'

The Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets played a physical game Wednesday which resulted in four players being ejected for fighting during the first half. While that may be a sign of toughness to some, Celtics head coach Doc Rivers doesn't agree.

Instead, Rivers said the Celtics were "a soft team right now" and that fighting was not a sign of toughness.

"We're a soft team right now," Rivers said, according to NESN.com. "We have no toughness, and that stuff's not toughness. All that stuff, that's not toughness."

Rivers said while a few players, including Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo, understand the way to play while wearing a Boston jersey, the others just expect to be something. Rivers said the players have to earn it and bring effort every night because teams give the Celtics their best.

While Rivers called his own team soft, Boston guard Jason Terry had an equally harsh criticism of Nets forward Kris Humphries. It was Humphries' foul on Garnett which led to the scuffle and after the game Terry called his former teammate "soft."

"Some guys are tough. Some guys pretend to be. He's one of those that pretends to be," Terry said of Humphries. The two were teammates in Dallas for 25 games during the 2009 season.

The Celtics and Nets won't play again until Christmas Day.