Before Nate McMillan and Doc Rivers faced off on the sidelines, they went up against each other on the court. Both coaches spent the 1980s and 90s as players in the NBA, and they recently relived some of their favorite memories from their days in the league.

Rivers played most of his 13-year career with the Atlanta Hawks prior to becoming a coach with the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic. McMillan donned a Seattle SuperSonics jersey for 12 seasons before taking the helm for the Portland Trail Blazers. Both could dish the ball as players and tried to accentuate their strengths while downplaying their weaknesses.

"We were very similar -- neither one of us truly were good shooters," Rivers admitted with a laugh. "I'm honest about that. But I thought were very similar as players, big point guards, had to play with our heads the most part, and just use our physical body."

Rivers' and McMillan's physical games may have been too physical by today's standards. The league is officiated closer now and whistles are blown more often than they were in the past.

"I don't know if either one of us could be successful now with the rules where you can't hand check and forearm people," Rivers said. "That would be difficult for both of us."

Today, McMillan and Rivers are passing on their experiences to two of the hottest teams in the NBA. McMillan isn't surprised that the Celtics are playing with the intensity and focus that they've demonstrated this season.

"He played the game hard, pretty much like how he coaches the game," McMillan said of Rivers. "He had an attitude out on the floor, he was all business whenever he played the game, and he was a pro. He was a professional out on the floor."

McMillan added, "I remember playing against him and he didn't say much. But he just directed his team and he played to win, just as he coaches."

Rivers shares the same respect for McMillan.

"He was a heck of a competitor. He really was," Rivers said. "I enjoyed playing against him because he was tough to play against."

Chances are Rivers still enjoys competing against McMillan. The Celtics beat the Trail Blazers last week in Boston.