Lame Duck?

â€Å"I think that was more from the outside. A couple of fans in a couple of paper bags"

That pretty much sums up how completely clueless Doc Rivers is. Yes Doc, the calls for you to be fired have only come from a FEW FANS, who themselves have absolutely no idea what they’re talking about….. (wow, do we need a rolleyes smiley for the front page)

Extension? He should be fired the minute the season ends. If Doc gets an extension this summer, then Danny Ainge needs to be fired, because that will constitute a “no confidence” situation from this fan.

Rivers will coach as a lame duck. He won’t like it, but he won’t walk away from the money either. So he will have to be fired.

My guess is that Grousbeck would rather keep losing than eat 5 million dollars. All I can do is to refuse to buy tickets, which is exactly what I will do if Rivers is here next year.

Talk about nerve ! An extension ?? You gotta be kidding me, he is without a doubt the worst coach in the league and it has nothing to do with his record. It has to do with his weaknesses in all areas , particulary in game strategy , assessing talent right under his nose , and the "game playing " he does with young players psyche , he needs to go the second the season ends !

Time to make a clean break with Doc at the end of the season. I lost all confidence in him when we lost in the first round of the playoffs against a battered Indiana team, and he has continued to baffle me ever since.

Talk about nerve ! An extension ?? You gotta be kidding me, he is without a doubt the worst coach in the league and it has nothing to do with his record. It has to do with his weaknesses in all areas , particulary in game strategy , assessing talent right under his nose , and the "game playing " he does with young players psyche , he needs to go the second the season ends !

I was about to add my thoughts but this is exactly what I would have said. so… ditto

Talk about nerve ! An extension ?? You gotta be kidding me, he is without a doubt the worst coach in the league and it has nothing to do with his record. It has to do with his weaknesses in all areas , particulary in game strategy , assessing talent right under his nose , and the "game playing " he does with young players psyche , he needs to go the second the season ends !

I think people have to look at this a bit more objectively. Last year Sam Mitchell was openly being called the worst coach in the league, his team had ‘quit’ on him according to fans and he should resign. Then Colangelo came in and got him 3 players that know how to play the game and built a team around the pieces they have. At this point Mitchell might be coach of the year.

Look Doc’s not great but this is a steaming pile of crap he’s working with.

He won’t quit.

He is not the worst coach in the league…. but he is also not the best coach…….. For a young team as the Celtics, he is perfect…yesterday I wrote that this Celtic Team doesn’t have the problems that other teams have with a players character, teamwork, dedication, and sportsmanship. On that front Doc has been able to keep this team intact.

Injuries aside he does deserve to coach this team next season.. good example being who does he have for quality players? other than Paul and now Al no one.

When K.C. Jones coached the Celtics of the 80’s he had Bird, Parish, McHale, Walton, Ainge, Johnson, and was K.C. Jones a great coach or a product of having a good team around him.

It is difficult getting in these young to listen every time they are on the court. They can yes you to death and tell you “yea Coach I’ve got it” and then they’ll go out and do something else. Then you talk to them and tell them didnt’ I tell you to cover so and so. What you hear is well “yea but”….. see this is where """INEXPERIENCE""" comes in and that’s why Paul feels he needs to just take control at times….

So what happens Doc will sit them down and bring in Scal…who listens but doesn’t have the skills of the players …

Don’t knock Doc…he is what he is and I’m not sure you’d like Pitino in here at the moment.

Remember everyone else is better than Doc, because they are not coaching this team right now….!!!

I say give him the year to establish himself and earn his contract extention.

I’m not buying that Doc was lousy because he had “little to work with.” I’m not even talking about this year. What about 2005 when he had a veteran team and got outcoached badly by a Carlisle who had a depleted, injury ridden team? What about his stint in Orlando? What about last year? If Doc is not the worst coach in the league, he is certainly one of them.

Doc must go after this season or I’m not spending another dime on anything Celtics! >:(

He is not the worst coach in the league…. but he is also not the best coach…….. For a young team as the Celtics, he is perfect…

Ditto that.

Rivers won 45 games when he had Payton, Pierce, Ricky Davis and a healthy LaFrentz several seasons ago. This season, the player with the most games played is… Gerald Green.

The most representative fact about Rivers’ position is that the team never quit playing hard for him. I think that should be pretty much enough.

Also, that bit about Pierce and the core should pretty much put to rest the question who the PG on this team is at this point.

ditto Ancient Red and mcpu40.

An extension???? LOL :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Bankshot,

I agree with you to a certain extent, but look at some of the coaches this year who were having problems with there team… Carlisle for one, and also Riley… sure Riley took some time off, but I wonder also if he was burnt out… not easy coaching so many tough personalities like Walker, Shaq, Payton…and the problems that Indiana had with there players… now all of a sudden Sacramento has problems with Artest…

Granted we don’t have those types of head cases, because Doc is in there face all the time… Kids don’t always listen…. I’ve coached enough where I shake my head many of times thinking okay this kid has it now…..and then I’m spooked with something stupid he did on the court….

Answer me who would be a good candidate to coach this team and I’m not looking for a retread to come in here and screw this team up….

The good ones are already taken……….and anyone else is mediocre at best

If the players play hard I think it’s more attributable to young players trying to make a mark in their early NBA careers than Doc’s leadership . Lets face it , with the exception of Jefferson and Green, the rest of our young players have limited ceilings. Most marginal players will play hard to survive in the league.

That’s the problem with our society…we are “Results Oriented” instead of working to make something…..

No one said it would be easy and it certainly has taken a little longer but I’m sure the results will make up for what we have all endured…

So let’s take a step back and focus on the needs of this team and what it has to do to come back next season strong…..

If everyone is healthy and we add another quality Veteran, we’ll be in good shape going forward…..

and if not

My hat’s off to you and I was wrong

Doc would of resigned by now if he didn’t care about the 5 mil a year he is making.

Rivers isn’t going to be fired the second the season ends. For one thing, Ainge may take the position that if Rivers goes, I go. That may not be a bad thing, but then Grousbeck is left with Chris Wallace and Leo Papile to run the franchise, including responsibility for all draft night decisions. Do we really want that?

On the other hand, it would be really good if a new coach and staff could be in place in time for Summer leage, which begins in mid July. So the logical “firing date” would be the day after the draft.

But we’re all dreaming if we think that’s going to happen. Once again, Grosubeck is too cheap, and Rivers won’t agree to a buyout. Why should he? He can get a TV job a year from next June as easily as he can get one this June.

But I will say it again: if the Celtics retain Rivers and the Raptors hire a great young up-tempo coach like Mark Iavaroni, we can forget about winning the Atlantic Division in the forseeable future. Don’t even think about winning it, because it won’t happen.

Jeff,
I think you need to organize PAPER BAG NIGHT, for the final game of the season. Everyone can wear a FIRE DOC paper bag over their head to the game. It would send a nice clear message that fans want him gone.

How about it?

To paraphrase Alec Baldwin’s character from “Glengarry Glen Ross” – “Nice guy…everybody likes him…good family man. Go home and play with your kids. Your fired.”

Doc is not a good coach. Not a good game planner, not a good in game strategist, not a good personel manager. What else is there? Sure he sounds good – that what TV analyst jobs are for.

I can’t believe 1 out of 3 posters to this topic are supporting Doc. It’s like election night – I’m stunned by what people will accept and embrace.

GlennRivers Glen Ross – Hit the bricks and keep on walking!

 I personally hope Doc stays, and, perhaps hire a better defensive assistant coach? A Dick Harter type. Doc has em playing hard, not in trouble off or on the court and doing ok on Offense. Not sure it’s Doc’s fault, the assistant coaches fault or NOBODYS fault on defense. It’s been said and shown with ‘the numbers’ that our younguns are even or ahead of most of their peers, past or present, at this stage of their career. Remember JJohnson, CBillips? How long and how many teams did it take them?

Jeff said:

no, I have an aversion to openly going after someone as nice as Doc
my stance is clear – I think we need a new direction, but I don’t hate the guy

You think we need a new direction, how is that going after someone? I don’t get it, anytime someone brings up firing Doc, everyone always mentions what a “nice” guy Doc is.

By that estimation my grandma could coach this team.

“team never quit playing hard for him”. And Pierce.

THat says something. Still dont think much of his in-game decision making tho.

 Jeff said:

organizing a fan protest is going after someone – he doesn’t deserve that

Do us fans deserve Doc to continue on as coach?

Is TNT, ABC, etc not going to hire him because of this?

It’s a clear message to the management that the team needs to in a different direction. Something that should of been last summer.

Nothing to work with? Most high school teams are less disorganized than the product Rivers put out on the floor. A lack of individual talent is NO EXCUSE for that, particularly for the pathetic performance of this team on the defensive end.

if doc is still around next year i think i might just quit

Again let me state this…………..

Who do you bring in???

Any good coach will not take the job knowing that your rebuilding unless your an “Average” coach

Coach K from Duke I hear would be interested in discussing a possible NBA coaching job….but who else is out there?

Please…no Cowens or Silas….Someone who is a good X’s and O’s man and can motivate people………someone Anti-Pitino

Doc will be back next year….but if he doesn’t make the playoff’s he is gone for sure…..

We as fan’s may not like it….but you haven’t heard any rumblings from the players about Doc…..that’s the one thing that hurt coaches before is players not playing for a coach….

This isn’t the case with this team

Pretty good posts. I would not extend Doc but I’m not sure firing him is fair given what he was handed. It wouldn’t be unfair to pay him his last $5 mil and say “We’re going in another direction” but it wouldn’t be a prudent use of $5 mil because the Celtics woes are more complicated than just firing the coach. He makes 4th Qtr mistakes but he has handled young players and the frustrations they cause with class. Ancient Red is right, K.C. Jones always was clueless and empty headed reflecting on the game just ended or the game coming up. But he couldn’t lose with that cast of players. Ownership has to stand pat, see how the draft goes and make plans after that. I wouldn’t overlook how Doc has kept his composure and his team’s attitude up despite these horrible results.

Nice guys finish last. I don’t want a nice guy coaching this team. I want an SOB who knows how to coach.

As Bob Marley also sang:

Them crazy, them crazy -
            We gonna chase those crazy
            Baldheads out of town;
            Chase those crazy baldheads
            Out of our town.

" See these gentlemen? These are the minutes for tonight’s game. But, Rondo, you aren’t going to get these minutes. These minutes are for closers. These minutes are for Scal."
            From: Glengarry Glen Rivers
                  opening October 2007, Boston

Doc knows the sentiment of many Celt fans. To me the best scenario for all is to give him a “buyout” and that’s exactly what he is probably thinking but can’t come out and say it.

I would also like to see if we can offer Wally a buyout too of some sort, just like the 76ers did with Webber. We need the minutes for whomever we get out of the draft and Green needs them too. There won’t and shouldn’t be a sizable drop off in Green’s overall game next year compared to Wally’s.

I was totally opposed to this guy when he was only a candidate for the job. Having to suffer through 3 years of his ineptness has been pure torture for me. My guess is Wyc will not want to eat the contract but will not offer to extend Rivers. Ultimatley, Rivers will have to decide if he wants to coach as a lame duck or not. Hopefully, not!

I used to think Ainge’s decisions handling the head coaching position was where he made his biggest mistakes. Until I saw his free agent signings and then his trades. LOL….

Can someone at least give some names who they would like as a coach,,,,, someone who is better than Doc and also who is availabe to coach a team with such youth and is not a veteran team

Why dont we give Doc a little hint about his future by asking him to help us find another coach for the 07-08 season.

I respect Doc as a person. I respect his attitude of trying to work through adversity. I respect both he and the players for trying to make the best of a bad situation. I respect Danny for seeing the errors of his way. If it has been hell on all us as fans, I’m sure this season has taken its toll on everyone from Wyc down to the ball boy.

That being said, I think the Celts need a fresh start next year with a new coach and with whatever the high draft pick comes our way. For me a buyout or whatever is necessary is in order.

Regardless of who coaches, I think the injuries will continue in 07-08. Theo is never going to play like his old bad self. I expect Wally to have his injury issues again for the 3rd year in a row. I would not only be surprised but I expect West, Perk, Allen and who knows too to fight through injuries again next year. Pierce is a warrior but he’s no longer a youngster. As a guy approaching the big 5-0 myself, I can tell you there are many times the mind is willing but the body is weak. I expect Pierce to have at least a nagging injury here or there next year if not miss a stretch like he has this season.

I do see a 500 record for next year, maybe a shade better with health, good draft pick, and a fresh coach; however I can’t and won’t rule out that health will continue to play a role in our success.

If Wally has any sense of decency, he should just quit playing now. He has no legs left;at least no ankles; and he has developed the speed of a mummy. The time to hang the tennis shoes always comes to every athlete in the universe and I know that Wally’s time to fade away has come. He should face his reality; his legs just can no longer take the pounding. He probably can play good enough golf to enjoy life at his relatively young age. I wish I had that option.

I think he thinks he’s under pressure. I think they’ve told him the team needs to show better defense. That way at least, management can hope to get the best d coaching he’s got in him for the rest of this year.

Ancient Red, I’ll give you a couple of names for coaches. My problem is that I don’t know all the assistant coaches, their reputations, etc. Obviously those within the NBA know who is who.

Avery Johnson got glowing reviews from Mav players, as an assistant and Cuban hired him when Don Nelson stepped down. He was a relative nobody in the coaching circles and he has done well with the Mavs. Last year he was coach of the year.

The guy who is coaching Toronto this year took the job with the knowledge that when the Sun’s assistant coach became available to hire after this season, then Toronto’s current coach is gone. Their current coach had been phenominal and probably keeps his job. So the Suns assistant is looking for a job this summer.

I have no idea who Utah has an assistant coach but I know as great as Sloan is, he isn’t doing it all by his lonesome. Whoever that guy or guys are that are assistants would get a strong look from me.

The idea that an intrim coach this year would have killed team chemistry, have been a step backwards, etc has had the complete opposite effect on the Raptors and I was in favor of a similar approach at the early stages of the massive losing streak.

My point is that there are good young coaching prospects that have a handle on the game, especially fundamentals and game strategy. Because these guys aren’t all household names does not mean they are not capable. Avery Johnson, the little general, with a voice like a 6 year old is an excellent coach, but probably all of us knew his as the player and not his coaching potential.

Anyone on this board who thinks they have even the slightest inkling about how to manage the last five minutes of a game better Doc Rivers needs a reality check.

Doc isn’t perfect, but

The players haven’t revolted or tuned him out.
Paul Pierce hasn’t asked for a coaching change, he’s simply asked for more experienced players.
The young players are developing. Al is being the All Star we thought he might be. Tony Allen, and Perkins were playing very well before their injuries. Delonte has played very well when not plagued by constant injuries. I don’t care what anyone says Ryan Gomes is far better than your average NBA player.
 mcpu40, Ancient Red, right there with you all.

Then give me a reality check, because I could manage the last 5 minutes of a game better than Rivers. I’d start by practicing end-of-game situations every day, as most good coaches do.

That blondie who runs the givaways durintg timeouts could probably manage a game better than Rivers.

bceltfan,

Very good, I’ll give you all that and then some. Appreciate someone coming back and challenging me on this….

I’m skeptical on who the next coach should be…. based upon the makeup of the club currently and with Oden or Durant coming on Board…

As I said I like Doc alot….

What this team needs is a Bill Fitch type coming in for next season as when Bird came on board….

If there isn’t someone similar than we will have to allow Doc that last horrah to either make it or be gone…

There are too non quality coaches out there…..you make your point about Avery Johnson….. He was in the same situtation as when Fitch left and K.C. came in….. why because he dealt with Veteran rather than Youth!

Do the Celtics need a fresh start …….YES….. but he’d have to be a lot better than Doc in many ways… only then would I make a switch

Ancient Red, thanks and good to know you are at least on board for a coaching change if the right guy comes along.

Toronto was in the same type of shape we were last year and they have/had 2 decent coaches wanting that job. I know if the position is open there are probably a good handful of young coaching prospects that would be chomping at the bit to coach the Celtics. I’m just not knowledgable enough to say it should be this coach or that coach.

Of the “known” coaches out there, I still like Stan Van Gundy a lot and think he got the royal shaft from Pat Riley. Again, very hard to know what is going through the minds of guys like him, Adelman, etc; and if they think there are better coaching opportunities to come verse the Celts.

Tmcdon, I agree with much of what you say. On the players not revolting, that is very true. I’m not sure why any Celtic player would have the right to revolt though. Our youngsters for the most part are getting the opportunity for minutes (in some cases I wish for more). With all the injuries these players are getting floor time. I can argue that Powe should be getting 10 to 12 min. a game but in all honesty, Powe isn’t going to see probably any more than garbage time at this point in his career with any other NBA team. Telfair had the starting job, played poorly and lost it. He can’t gripe too much when he knows it’s his play at fault. Good job for Doc for keeping players tuned in.

On Pierce, I think the rubber meets the road this summer. Last year he was openly lobbying for Iverson. If vet trades are not made for this off season; it may be done privately, but I think Pierce would then want the type of trade Antoine Walker got by going to a contender. Pierce knows that other than big AL and possibly Green involved in the trade, the Celts aren’t going to get the type of vets needed to make us a strong contender.

Gomes in many ways is one of my favorite Celtics. He may be the smartest player, along with Pierce on our club. I feel for the guy having to give up 3 or 4" night in and night out. He plays the game the right way. I think he is destined to be a 6th or 7th man whether he stays a Celtic or is moved elsewhere.

We probably never will know the extent of what the players think of Doc. I’m sure right down the line many or all like him on a personal level. On some levels though there is a disconnect. I can’t put it all on the players, can’t put it all on Doc, but many times we are very poor defensively and there needs to be a remdy for that.

No player wants to come straight out and admit they want a new coach. Just like you or I wouldn’t probably go into work and state we want a “new boss”. I don’t think decension is a big problem with the NBA players and teams. Granted you are always going to have a handful of the Ron Artest type players, but for the most part I think most players go out and just try to do their job. Of all the young NBA rookies that are playing today, only T. Thomas I think has an attitude problem. I’m sure privately many of these rookies want more playing time but I think they are all tuned in and go with the flow.

Mario Ellie ** i know Danny hit him in the face with a basketball
                but who said they had to be friends. He was an
                assistant to Pop in San Anton, & Nellie in GS

Excuse me, but have any of you Doc defenders checked out the roster of the Houson Rockets and how many games McGrady and Yao have missed? That’s a team with LESS talent than Boston and has suffered major injuries to both of its superstars and it has NEVER looked as bad as the Cs have under Doc. Look at Philadelphia. They give away AI and pay CWebb to leave, but did they lose 18 games in a row?

Look. Doc has proven that if you give him a good team, he’ll win you 45 or so games and then get horribly outcoached in a first round playoff loss. Is that what this team will need next year. Doc is not a good coach. Let’s at least try and find somebody who is.

Mike

MBunge, on Philly, they have won 5 games in a row! I find myself rooting for them as an underdog without Iverson. In fact, they probably won’t do it, but they are something like only 5 games away from the 8th playoff spot.

Extension? Sure. On a bed of Procrustes. If Wyc did fire Doc, he could make Veal the coach on the condition that he not be a playing coach. That way we kill two birds with one stone.

I’m guessing they offer him a one year extension. He has to get a bit of a free pass given what Danny did to him last season and this one. No one can win with this crew and the injuries that have piled up.

If they don’t want him back he gets no extension then probably negotiates a buy out, but think they’ll give him a chance to prove himself with a team that’s — hopefully — capable of actually winning some games.

A one year extension says yes, you have excuses, but we’re less than thrilled with what we’ve seen to date. Anything more than a year extension and I would be surprised.

If I were ownership, the question I would ask is can this team not guard anyone because the players just suck defensively or is it the coaching?

I am not a Doc apologist. I simply do not believe he, or Danny, or any of the players are alone the problem with the Celtics.

“I could manage the last 5 minutes of a game better than Rivers. I’d start by practicing end-of-game situations every day, as most good coaches do.”

I can’t believe it, as if you would have any clue about what a good coach does or doesn’t do, or how they conduct practice, or what they practice on or emphasize. It’s amazing how many people believe they “know the NBA game” because they watch a lot of TV, played in a bush league highschool division, play a little City League, fancy ourselves as “experts” because we coach a winning little league or even AAU team, and so we think we know more than someone who has actually played in the REAL league and actually coaches in the real league. Amazing . . . .I wish I had that type of arrogance cause it would probably get me . . .oh that’s right: no where, except screaming on a message board about man who has the job you only wish you could have.

[/i][i][/i][i][/i][i]

So, if Doc Rivers is not offered an extension next season does that make him a “Lame Doc?” Or is he that already?

"MBunge, come on.

Can you say DIKEMBE?
Let alone: Shane Battier & Juwan Howard."

Dikembe and Howard at this point in their careers combined aren’t as good as Al. Shane Battier is nothing more than a role player. And yet, a good coach was able to get a team with those guys to at least be competitive until his stars could play.

I mean, how bad would things have to be before you’d agree that Doc needs to go? How many times does this team have to look helpless against a zone defense? How many times does he have to play Scal when he’s contributing NOTHING while letting Powe rot on the bench? How badly does he have to screw with Delonte? Does he have to make him the back-up small forward next year? Outside of one season where he got the coach of the year award for a .500 season in Orlando, what has Doc ever done to make anyone think he’s anything but a mediocre coach?

Mike

I know it would be too much a personal cheap-shot, but you had to at least think about calling this post “Lame Doc,” didn’t you?

The problem with Doc is that none of the things he does well have anything to do with winning. Keeping guys motivated and positive amidst losing is great, sure, but personally I’d rather have a coach who kept the team from losing 18 in a row. Player development? The position where we need the most help — point guard — is the one Doc seems to have the most trouble teaching (see Reese Gaines, Marcus Banks, Orien Greene, Rondo, Telfair). But worst of all is the lack of any sort of system in both our offense and our defense. We’re just painfully disorganized to watch, and what success we’ve had this year has come mainly through the individual efforts of guys like Pierce, Jefferson, sometimes Gomes and West, and for a span Allen.

Better coaches for the team? Adelman, Stan Van Gundy, Westphal, Iavaroni…

extension???????
??????????
????????

Wow, I’m surprised that there is so much sentiment to keep Doc. To me, there is nothing in his record (here or in Orlando) that demonstrates he is anything more than an average to below average NBA coach. Keeping a team together and motivated, especially when its a young team, is not yeoman’s work, it’s the bare minimum that should be expected of a pro coach. Besides being poor in the areas of defense and game-management x and os, he has done a surprisingly bad job working with the C’s young PGs. You could say he has had little to work with, but he sure hasn’t done much to improve Telfair, Banks, West, and Rondo which you would think would be a strength of his considering his pedigree as a NBA PG.

The tricky part is whether ownership lets DA pick the next coach b/c I think he is on shaky ground himself and may be gone at the end of next year if there is not a big turnaround. I would allow Doc to finish out his contract but under no circumstances extend him. A stan van gundy hire would be solid or an upstart assistant like Iavaroni, but those 2 may be snapped up this summer so that is another factor that plays in.

I am amazed that I’ve followed this team the last few years as it is. But unless we add Oden or Durant to the roster—and even with that just out of curiosity at the start of the season—I cannot take another year of watching Doc Rivers coach this team. Just don’t think I could take it.

 Doc wants an extension? With the job he has done that is arrogant. He does a poor job late in games and is often out coached at those times. I never wanted this guy hired in the first place. When a team loses 18 in a row that is coaching. A good coach would have gotten a least a couple W’s. Good coaching makes teams play better for the simple fact that they have a system the teach. From what we have seen they do not have a system at the moment. Please FIRE DOC in the off season.

I think I mentioned it somewhere already: the best evaluation of Doc will come from the players. Not from someone on a message board who’s likely seen a basket-ball only on TV. Well, guess what the players seem to be saying all season long…

Kozlodoev, I disagree on the players being best to evaluate Doc. For many of our players, Doc has been their only coach. They will see a Phil Jackson only 2X a year. Some have gone from high school to Doc; they don’t have the overall experience to know what they are missing or needing.

 Even if players disagree with Doc as the coach they aren’t going to publicly or even privately admit it. You might think your boss is a swell guy but don’t think the company is being run well. You want and need your job. You aren’t going to be telling co-workers, neighbors, etc that your boss isn’t as competent as he should be. You’d be fired. Look at those that voiced negative comments: Blount, Davis, Banks, they all lost their positions with the Celtics (traded).

If nothing else with all our injuries many players are getting playing time. Do you think they want to speak out against Doc, get the reputation as a hard to handle player, and that get traded to a team where there minutes will be reduced?

All I can say about the keep Doc argument is that I look around and see coaches like the Wizards young coach who I still don’t even remember his name but the Wizards are playing good ball and he was named this year’s All Star coach for the east. Look at Toronto’s new coach, doing a great job and I can’t recall his name off the top of my head. Look at what Scott Siles did for the Bulls. Look at what Avery Johnson has done with the Mavs.

It just seems like many want a Rick Adelman or Stan Van Gundy type coach and I think that would be an upgrade. I also think there are many coaching candidates out there that can do a superior job even though they aren’t household names for us.

Regardless of whether or not you like Doc as coach, coaching on the last year of a contract is usually a bad thing because the players “turn you off”. I don’t think these players will do that to Doc. When Ainge first took the job he gave O’Brien an extension because of this. I think the decision to give an extension or not will be a personal one if Doc decides to leave or a decision that the team does not see Doc as coach of the future if they decide not to extend him. Alot of the decision will also depend on who else is available. My own feeling is that I would like to see Doc coach without the extension and I won’t go into the reasons because I’ll get blasted and it’s not worth it at this time.

I’m not going to knock the Doc Supporters but just say simply - the guy can’t coach to situations and has done a terrible job in building confidence in the young players.
I.E. Gomes had CDNP’s before he got into games only because of injuries and he became a fixture. This was something that was obvious to those who watched him play in the summer league two years ago.

I could go on and on but he’s got to return to TNT.