Doc seems to be very good at gaining the respect of his players, including the superstars. Very good at team building, motivation, etc. The concern is and has been game management, including substitutions, appropriate uses of timeouts, and game end situations, both offensively and defensively. Doc is almost cursed by the plethora of bench talent we now have. Will his allegiance to veteran play overshadow the energy and intensity he gets from the youngsters, in particular Big Baby? We’ll have to wait and see.

we could go forever on doc— s and s. i hate his small ball tactics, which is his way of saying i’m coaching and making adjustments-watch out.he could have gotten perk and rondo in the hornet game much sooner- which is a metaphor for the many times he has kept perk out for small ball. i am glad he supports his kid at georgetown and it’s a positive, but likewise, i’m glad g’town lost and we can get a practice in. he is a good guy for the players- he can communicate honestly with them. he must do a heck of a job communicating with danny. his subbing is mixed— he has limited the big 3’s minutes which is good. thank god he is over his scal fixation. at times, his in game thinking is either slow or stubborn and he keeps combos in too long. i have no idea, but on this blog and other places, ther has been talk that ray is frustrated with how he’s being used. if that is the case doc had better turn on the charm.

only 55 wins…let’s get rid of Doc now

I’ve always been a Doc supporter… But you need talent….. You can’t win with 9 20 year olds in this league as was the case last year. Paul Pierce’s frustration and his confidence shot didn’t help as well.

Your seeing Doc the same as you did last year… actually he’s more intense this year in my opinion because he has to pull this team together so they don’t start to stray…….

There are still those who think that Doc will fail this team come playoff time…..

Doc’s done what he’s had to do dispite public out cry from us fans. When ever your in a position like his, he’s the one and only one who know what makes these players perform and he has been doing an excellent job at his substitution in my opinon.

His substitution of players in and out of the game at critical times has gone unnoticed. You can say he left Rondo in too long against San Antonio in the 1st quarter but he wanted to see what the kid was made of and see how he’d bounce back. He’s taken risks, because he’s been trying to develop the chemistry and see how his players respond.

This is his team right now……and the players now it…….players also know that Danny has Doc’s back. That is “HUGE”… because if you look around the league not many GM’s/Owners have their coaches back……

Doc’s weird substitutions and small ball is what bothers me the most about him. He is doing ok in most other areas though. Just stay away from small ball, please!!! >:( (unless Davis & Powe are your big men). No more Posey at PF.

Even a blind pig finds an acorn once in a while.

Doc was in the right place at the right time. George Kastanza would have been a successful NBA coach with this team and Tom Thibideau

I think doc has improved a lot in running plays out of timeouts. also his clock management seems better this year. His substitution patterns are still a mystery to me and I think he still waits too long to sub guys back in ( or out). He has a tendency to ride his bench too long when things aren’t going well. That was the case in NO when the starters were clearly gassed. I thought not playing Davis and Powe more in that game was a big mistake as was leaving cassell in the game who couldn’t ( or wouldn’t) guard Pargo and who wasn’t scoring. But that’s nitpicking. the guy has won 55 games this year. He is a player’s coach and in that regard he reminds me a lot of KC Jones but I think KC was much better at substitutions than Doc.

Funny thing about being a great coach: You need great talent to prove it. Red Auerbach never won a championship until he got Russell. Heinshon was a brilliant coach as long as Cowens was healthy.

I’m thankful the internet did not exist in olden times. That way no one had to read about how Red and Tommy didn’t know how to win when they didn’t have the weapons to win.

Doc has orchestrated this season. The players and assistants have all done great jobs, but they’re the musicians. Doc holds the baton in his hand. Anyone who likes the music and thinks the conductor has nothing to do with it, is prejudiced (has prejudged) and is inflexible in admitting this.

Bill Simmons has been wrong on Doc. Now he’s painted himself in a corner and can’t back out without embarrassing himself.

It’s always the cover-up that hurts more than the crime.

Yes Doc is a great coach in todays NBA. He substitutes well and calls good plays from time outs. Even last year when he had Timberwolve talent he got them to play hard every night and developed youngsters. The bashing by evryone on Celticsblog and Simmons national column was disgraceful and I tried to point that out to anyone who would listen. Way to go Doc not only did you prove your doubters wrong, but they now look like clueless coach haters. As for me I will just say – I TOLD YOU SO.

It’s easy for us sitting on the outside looking at this team like we are experts or know how to coach… but let’s face it we don’t know what’s going on in the inner circle of this team but Doc and the coaching staff…..

I’m amazed at how many still in here would like to see Doc gone and why he doesn’t get the credit that he rightfully deserves. As a player/coach Doc’s knowledge of the game is greater than anyones level in this blog.. that’s for sure

For anyone who has played the game or coached, many of you should understand that the game evolves more than what it was years ago. For one the money being thrown at players has alot to do with coaching now a days.. example Gerald Green.. my my how we forget.. many in here had him being the next Kobe…. Doc’s frustration with the kid and how he worked on developing his game must have irked Doc more than anyone… but Doc tried to stick it out with the kid before they finally traded him away….. You think that Paul Pierce was an angel here in Boston,, I’m sorry Doc had much to do with Paul’s turn around on and off the court……

Maybe I didn’t make myself clear here !! But Doc is the perfect coach for this team. How many other coaches in the league are perfect … How would you like to have Pat Riley, or Isiah Thomas coaching our team. Every Coach gets scrutinized in this league….but I for one am tired of it….. It’s not fair…. A teams coach and the chemistry is very important… Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen are scoring.. not Doc…..

What’s he suppose to do if Paul goes 1-10 or Ray goes 4-12, he has to stick with his best players as much as possible… they are the ones that brought you to this point…

            Gant said it well, what if we had the internet back in the hayday … would we be as critical on Red….or even K.C. Jones for that matter… What did K.C. Jones do for that team…. Let me remind people here that Jimmy Rodgers was the next great head coach coming up the ranks… How did that turn out?

So, all the Doc bashers…. just go away… I’m enjoying a great season…..a very fullfilling season…..

And I’m standing next to Doc here… win or lose…….

Master Po…

Hahahaha I need something that’s for sure…

have a good one ;D

I defended Doc’s season last year again and again due to his team’s lack of talent. I thought he did an amazing job holding that team together which could have easily spun out of control. Almost no one could have done anything different. This season he has continued to rely on his strengths. If he has relied on Thibodeau to improve his team’s defense that should be a plus not a minus. As to all these comments on here about being baffled with his substitution patterns, I have one thought. Maybe you are baffled because you just don’t know the whole story?! Maybe you are baffled because you don’t know as much about basketball as Doc does?! I was talking to my surgeon this past summer about the technicalities of my rotator cuff surgery and there were quite a few things that made no sense to me. I was kind of baffled, so maybe the guy was just a quack…

I’m with Master Po: it don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that ring.

The Celtics are where they are today because of the talent he developed. He has done and continues to do a great job and should be considered for Coach of the Year

Rivers didn’t develop any talent. Al Jefferson was developed by Clifford Ray. Delonte West developed himsellf in spite of Rivers. Gerald Green didn’t develop one iota under Rivers, which is why he is out of the league. Gomes was fully developed when he arrived, and in fact sat on the bench for 45 games before Rivers would play him. Sebastian Telfair was the same player he was in Portland.

As for the players on the roster, Rivers didn’t develop any of the veterans. As to the young players, you can argue whether Rivers was responsible for the imporvement we have seen. or someone like Ray or Kevin Eastman— or maybe it was just natural maturation.

Millions of people are baffled by my doctors explanation of suregery, but that doesn’t mean he should listen to us. Just because we are fans and pick up on things here and there, does not put us in a position where we are as knowledgeable as these guys coaching. Doc knows so much more about basketball than any of us will ever get due to his playing and coaching experience. That does not mean that every decision that he makes will turn out with the results he was hoping for. It does likely mean that he made the decision for a reason. Maybe one of the players you felt should be in there instead at the time tweaked his ankle a bit and told Doc that from the bench. Who knows?! The guy is 55-14 for goodness sake! There are posters on here (in this very thread) that said that Doc was good for us giving up 10-15 games by himself over the year. Unless you think this team should have gone 82-0, I’d say that was a farce.

Cut the guy some slack. Give him some deserved credit. He was given almost the entire blame for last season by many on here. Now that he’s winning he gets almost no credit. That tells you the logic and common sense of those posters. Why someone would take much weight out of their opinions to how Doc should run his substitutions is beyond me. If they aren’t willing to be honest and give credit where it is due, then they really aren’t worth listening to.

 Brickowski said:
  Rivers didn’t develop any talent. Al Jefferson was developed by Clifford Ray. Delonte West developed himsellf in spite of Rivers. Gerald Green didn’t develop one iota under Rivers, which is why he is out of the league. Gomes was fully developed when he arrived, and in fact sat on the bench for 45 games before Rivers would play him. Sebastian Telfair was the same player he was in Portland.

As for the players on the roster, Rivers didn’t develop any of the veterans. As to the young players, you can argue whether Rivers was responsible for the improvement we have seen. or someone like Ray or Kevin Eastman— or maybe it was just natural maturation.

Right on Brick!!!

 >:( Really why the dislike for the man.. maybe not the man but the coach…..Did we all think they’d be this good once the season started, have the best record in basketball, am I missing something here?

What did we expect of this team as of now? Before the season started many were hoping they’d get past the first round… now many expect Banner number 17 up on the rafters otherwise the season means nothing!

The players have alot to do with it to, not just Doc. The players on the court have to perform game in and out. We all make mistakes…. Players develop on their own and work on their game…. If a player doesn’t have the work ethic then he won’t last long… Clifford Ray, Doc, Kevin Eastman can be blue in the face talking to these players, but they are not buying it or willing to committ and work at there game… then forget it…. your looking at a black hole…

Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen have bought into what Doc is saying… and that has trickled down to everyone else on the team…..

You may not always want to agree with his method or what he’s doing…. but you can’t question his success this season with this team……

Coaches always will be under the knife no matter what…. It’s never good enough… look back to some of you who played or coached…..and reflect on those moments…..

A comparison of this season’s C’s versus last year’s squad makes a fascinating case study:
“How much does coaching really matter in the NBA?”
Remember, AVERY JOHNSON coached the Mavs to the best regular season record in the league last year!!!
I believe you can make a valid argument either way about the importance of coaching in this league.
That being said, hats off to Tom Thibodeau for creating a fantastic defensive strategy with the C’s this year. I don’t know how we can possibly hold on to this guy.

Good blog management, Jeff. You can always get some chat going with the Doc angel/devil subject. As I can see, no one has changed their opinions. But, THIS IS only a blog. Simmons looks like a fool. I think A Tommy Point made a good point. Doc fed the sharks with that error in the Detroit game early last year. Then the lack of talent became sel-fulfilling the rest of the year.
I think it was John Maynard Keynes who responded to a critic by saying “When the facts change, my opinion changes. What do you do?” 50 wins and counting, a team chemistry so rarely seen, an exciting young point guard (Oh wait, like the immortal Delonte West, he must have taught himself) three young bigs who are exceeding expectations, no prolonged slumps (fingers crossed here)…those are the facts.
I can’t see the Doc haters as it pertains to Doc. But I must admit, every time I see Terry Francona combining chewing tobacco and bubble gum I’m convinced he’s a mental midget even though the facts don’t bear that out.

I really don’t think Rivers is coaching that differently this year. He didn’t suddenly get better. He has better players and better assistants, plus the palyers are playing harder this year. There is more intensity, and we all know who is responsible for that.

Once again, let’s see how Rivers weathers a tough playoff series against a well-coached opponent. Fortunately for the Celtics, most of the best coaches are in the Western Conference, so that not getting to the NBA finals this year would be inexcusable in my opinion.

The 3 top guys have missed time throughout the season, and the team has not missed a beat. It figures that there would be whining about the coach after one of the greatest road trips in the history of the league (no exaggeration, look at the teams they beat). Once Brown and Cassell were entered into the mix, the rotation has to reconstitute. Doc is trying to figure it out also. Scalabrine went inactive because Leon Powe made Doc play him. He has survived even with ancient PJ Brown showingg some quality minutes. Celts are trying to figure out who the 9 guys they will turn to consistently in the playoffs are. Saturday was a hiccup, but New Orleans is one helluva team. The team let down defensively compared to their sterling prior efforts. They will be fine.

Thanks Jeff…

You succeeded today in having all of us at each others throat again!!! All you had to do was bring up Doc LOL ;D

Overall, I’m very happy with what he has accomplished this year.. even though I was against him taking the team overseas…. It worked……. and many other things he’s done this season especially with Rondo have worked well….

I know I’ve been there… if your players quit on you, it doesn’t matter how good of a coach you are, your not going to win.

Doc has developed this team to respond to him; take Pat Riley down in Miami, his team quit on him and he had the talent and superstars to make a run at it. But that team headed south quickly before we knew it….

All I’m saying is as much as many want to bash Doc, give him credit as well.

Ancient Red, he does deserve credit for being a nice guy. His players like him, and work hard for him. In fact, he’s probably a goood amateur psychologist. So was P.T. Barnum.

While these are all positive traits, they do not make him a good basketball coach. Pat Riley’s team may have quit on him, but if Rivers knows more about coaching than any of us, Riley knows 10 times more.

…pretty unfair to say that winning the title this year is the only way Doc can prove he’s a good enough coach to win the title…only one team wins the title and the Celtics aren’t so much better than the rest of the field that it should be a given…I think Doc’s a very good coach who has weak points-as do all other coaches…3-4 more years of contention will ultimately solidify his legacy…

The guys play for him. And they are the best team in the league at running stuff out of timeouts. That’s about 75% of the job.

he reverted to form tonight against the sixers and cost us the game. right now i hate him

Roy- Not giving him a pass. I am stating that he has 55 wins this season under his belt. He makes some mistakes here and there, but to state in hindsight that he should have done this or should have done that without all the facts of the situation is absolute nonsense. He is a solid coach. Not the best ever, but not the worst ever like many here would have you believe. You can pick out a couple decisions and say you disagree all you want, or that Doc has stupid substitution patterns, but that does not mean you’re right. Doc is smarter and more competent as a coach than any one of us on here and to give him no credit is a farce. It just proves how little they do know about how tough it is to do what they do and how much can go wrong. You can have the perfect plan and rationale, but if one person on the court misses an assignment it blows up. That’s not always Doc’s fault. I guarantee you the players individually cost more losses than Doc will every single time.

As far as your Magic example, he went 5-11 with a good team. Yes he was a bad coach, but since Doc is 55-14 that doesn’t quite stretch. Isaiah won his first 3 seasons in Indiana, so I am not sure that works either. He is a much worse GM than he is a coach. I’d still take his opinion over anyone on here’s including my own…