Jeff Van Gundy defended Doc Rivers’ decision to leave the Celtics and cited his own experience in New York as an example of what quitting truly means. Via Newsday: “Van Gundy defended Rivers, saying what he did 12 1/2 years ago was worse. ‘I quit the Knicks, so I know what quitting is,’ he said. ‘I did it. I quit. And it’s something I regret to this day…I live with it every day and I regret it. I let my emotions come into it. I was just emotionally spent. I made a bad decision and I quit. Doc Rivers didn’t quit. He was allowed to pursue a better opportunity for himself. That’s a significant, significant difference that everybody’s glossing over.’ Van Gundy was with the Knicks from 1989-2001 as an assistant and head coach. He compiled a 248-72 record in parts of seven seasons as head coach but walked away after they started 10-9 in 2001. ‘I had a great job with the Knicks,’ he said. ‘I let…frustration overwhelm me…The frustrations were real, but it was certainly an overreaction. Like I said, I’m the only one to blame for that because I had a great, great job and I left it voluntarily.'”