A Confession From a One-Time Doc-Basher
by Steve Weinman on Apr 24, 2008 11:10 AM EDT
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Little by little, Doc Rivers keeps sucking me in.
Back in early December, I did some musing on Doc's first month coaching the new-look Celtics. At the time, the reasoning behind the column was simple: With the team cruising along at 14-2, I needed to take some time to think about a lot of what I had said about Rivers the year before, at which point I was more than happy to pit him as one of the primary scapegoats (if not the single biggest problem) for the team's miserable season. There needed to be some semblance of an idea on my part of whether or not yours truly wasn't simply being tricked into another case of the players making the coach. Perhaps a combination of injuries an atrocious roster had put Glenn Rivers in an impossible situation, and perhaps he was simply doing the good job he was always capable of this season. Or perhaps last year had been the norm, and this year's great roster was making Doc look way better than he actually was.
Either way, it was the rare instance in which I wanted to be wrong. I wanted to be able to call myself an idiot and be largely absolving of Doc for the sins I perceived him to have committed the season before. That's because for this writer, being a fan has always been the first priority, and it's only natural for fans to want to fully support the guys on their beloved teams.
But predictably, my December soliloquy left me as certain as was suspected beforehand: not very. The conclusions at the time were that Doc certainly deserved a good deal of credit for what had gone on thus far. He had played a big role in helping the three stars jell together and with the rest of his new roster, of getting the players to go hard every night and of preventing letdowns. But there was still concern about how the team would deal with adversity, how Doc would handle rotations (particularly after any possible mid-season moves by Danny Ainge) and how good his in-game tactical work would be, especially against the top-tier teams come playoff time.
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With the regular season and two playoff games complete, we're still in many regards in a similar place to where we were in December. Doc has answered certain bells -- keeping the team together all year, dealing successfully with the bits of adversity the team faced (a couple of three-game losing streaks, nine games without Kevin Garnett) and managing the rotation in a way that both kept players fresh and prevented dissension over minutes. But the questions about what will happen when and if this team goes deeper into the playoffs (even with a 2-0 series lead, there is no testing of the sports karma gods to be found here) remain: When tension grows, will he still be able to successfully manage the rotation? Will this guy draw up the right plays coming out of timeouts? Will the C's run out of timeouts in the third quarter of a decisive game?
Perhaps the questions are unfair. Perhaps it's a situation in which my harsh perception of Doc's season unfairly raised my internal expectations for him for the following year. Maybe I've painted him into a corner in which anything short of a championship wont be good enough, and that isn't just on my part.
Perhaps not. Perhaps his performance last season really did merit the undying scrutiny he's received (here's guessing I'm not the only guilty party) this year.
Ultimately, I'm not sure. There is still much of Doc's tale to be told, and perhaps even the season's end won't reveal the truths to that tale. As with rating presidents in office, it may take months or even years for me to be able to have a fair perspective in which to put Doc's job in Beantown.
For now, we're simply continuing the approach promised back at season's start: Keeping as an open a mind as possible and attempting to consider all the pertinent factors rather than simply taking the easy finger-pointing way out.
In that pursuit, while I have formed no definitive conclusions about the coaching of Doc Rivers (and rightfully so), I have learned this much: I love the way the man interacts with his players.
The inspiration for this realization came from Doc's discussion with Glen Davis during the second quarter of last night's victory over the Hawks, but it is a realization that has been a long time coming.
When Davis came off the floor last night after committing an over-the-back foul 94 feet from the opposing basket to send the Hawks to the foul line, TNT's microphone on Rivers picked up a great exchange between coach and player. Doc asked the Infuriated Infant if he understood why there was such a problem with the play he made, and the Pugnacious Papoose was aware of the fact that the fact that the Celtics were in the penalty at the time made it integral for him to avoid taking loose ball fouls on the offensive end of the floor. Rivers made one more technique-related point about committing over-the-back fouls before patting Davis on his chest and telling him something to the effect of "Keep on playing and be ready. You're going back in."
In a word, the interaction was perfect, and it was a microcosm of the way Rivers has worked with his players all year -- and perhaps beyond.
In an NBA rumored to be continuously dominated by know-it-all players who can't be bothered and coaches who are considered to be shepherds of talent above all else, Rivers' discussions with his players have indicated time and time again that Rivers is a teacher. And so far as it appears, a good one at that.
It seems that every discussion has had a simple formula this year: calmly made teaching point, discussion with the player, encouragement. Whether it's been with his young point guard Rajon Rondo or with veteran supersub James Posey, or even at times with his three superstars, Rivers has maintained that even demeanor all the time. When his players mess up, he talks with them rather than spewing at them. Even in the middle of games -- in the heat of the battle -- Rivers has been able to do this and to do it perfectly. The end of virtually every conversation has consisted of Rivers restating his confidence in his man. There have been few if any blow-ups on the bench this season, and in the rare occasions that players have snapped at the coach, both player and coach have been the first to wash over it and move on.
It has never been about any sort of power struggle or ego trip with this guy this season. All he seems to want to do is help make his players better and teach them to win games, and all they do is keep playing hard for him and talking about how much they enjoy playing for him. They know that he is the boss, and they respect him, but they also know that they can have rational discussion with him -- and chances are, that only increases their respect for him.
We've seen wonderfully just interaction all season between Doc and both the neophytes and the veterans, and last night's discussion with the Nasty Newborn was the perfect epitome of that.
The ultimate coaching judgment on Glenn Rivers remains unknown, but that he is a player's coach in a truly reasonable sense is at this point quite certain.
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I’ve always liked Doc because I’ve always thought that his teams have played hard for him, especially the young inexperienced ones.
Although I’ve seen some validity on some of the claims and points that the people that don’t like him make, I have discounted most of them because of one thing that troubles me from many Celtics fans: unrealistic expectations.
I mean, look at our rosters for our last couple of years right now. They were pure crap. This year we have this monster of a team, and there are still people around here and around the US that still doubt that this team has what it takes to go all the way. Answer me this now truthfully, did any of you actually believe that we have a team to accomplish anything the last couple of years? The answer to me, without hesitation, is no.
Regardless, the team has played quite hard for him even when we were quite bad. Not many coaches can accomplish that. Look at the Heat this year, coached by the all-mighty Railey. They were a complete joke. And just this year alone, you can take a look at the Knicks, Bucks, Memphis; in my opinion these teams had a much better roster than the Celtics last year (you have to factor in the amount of injuries we had vs the amount of injuries they had), and look at the crap they’ve done this year.
by BudweiserCeltic on Apr 24, 2008 6:14 AM EDT reply actions
I’ve been a Doc supporter since day 1. He didn’t need this job (many in past years had said Doc is doing things to “save” his job). I have supreme confidence in Danny Ainge’s judgment and he talked Doc into coming here. I don’t know about Orlando, but, to me, he’s always been judged unfairly here. Many did not want to admit that he had an impossible job —player turnover (by design) and working with the most high school kids on a roster than any coach I’ve known of. Doc, actually, hasn’t been the Celtic’s coach till this year. He was a teacher of remedial basketball. He had, at times, five players on the floor who didn’t understand what they were doing and in the face of that developed players who set up the deals this summer. Would Rondo be where he’s at if he was still playing with last year’s roster? Now he has the players and his coaching skills become evident. When this team isn’t playing well it’s because they get out of the offensive and defensive systems at times. When Doc points that out they get back into it. I don’t know or care much about x’s and o’s. Doc set up a structure with the help of Tom Thibodeau. He instilled the “Ubunto” philosophy which the players, to their credit, embraced and now he’s letting his players play. He treats them as adults and with respect, but, although he cares deeply about them as people, he is not their friend. Alot of Celtic fans wanted Scott Skiles here instead of or to replace Doc. Look what happened to Chicago. No matter what happens from here on Doc has done a great job and I believe he is a good coach. People like to nitpick when they should look at the whole canvas which is 66-16 when he has the proper paints.
all poins re doc discussed so far are valid. he’s bright, personable and seems to know the psyches of his players. i would rather have a doc than a larry brown a technician and teacher but not a people guy. i have always been a critic of his fiddling and diddling, especially with small ball. also his putting the gomeses and powes on the back burners in splinterville while running around the genius scalabrine. i think the vets have helped him more than he them, but he has parceled out the minutes wisely. the guy behind the scenes— danny is really the most deserving of kudos and is a bigger player than we all realize and he has stood by his man, doc.
I have not been a Doc support, but the influx of vets made one thing clear; No matter how good or bad your coach is, it will be almost impossible to tell with a young roster. Blown assignments, defensive lapses, forgetting plays, etc. etc.
The only coaches that seem to succeed with young rosters are the hard nut types like Skiles, Larry Brown & the like. That works for a season or and then the team starts tuning them out. (On that note, the Bucks should start shopping Michael Redd immediately. No way will he follow Skiles schemes…)
Doc was smart enough to delegate work to his assistants and finally had some vets he could trust to execute on offense and defense. He gets alot of credit for knowing what was needed coming into the season. What many had predicted as a ‘transistion year’ turned out to be better than any had expected. The credit goes to Doc & Danny.
I think Danny gets as much credit for this particular aspect as Doc does (and they both deserve credit). Danny filled the team with “coachable” players, which has made Doc’s job infinitely easier. When the team was filled with knuckleheads — Blount, Banks, Ricky — Doc didn’t have much success in reaching them. It was only after Danny learned the importance of chemistry and veteran leadership that Doc’s ability to reach his players came through. You couldn’t ask for a better mix of players on this team, and the fact that there is internal pressure from the players to embrace “ubuntu” makes the job of the coaching staff much less difficult than in years past.
(Also, I would point out that Doc himself is improving; he’s done his share of “spewing” at players in the past, especially his point guards. He’s also had his share of spats with players, from Pierce to Raef. I hated it that he had a tendency to call his players out through the media. Doc has evolved as much as anyone, and although I scoffed at a suggestion by Danny that Doc was still a young coach who was learning, I think that has proven to be the case.)
I’ve been supportive of Doc for his ability to keep the locker room chemistry intact. That’s a task that’s easier said than done, and Doc has been masterful at it this year. I’ve still got questions about Doc’s decision-making ability in closer games, but hopefully I’m proven wrong on that, and we breeze to #17.
there is that fundamental question of “how good of a coach is Doc?” because last year his team was too bad for any coach to win with and this year his team is too good for any coach to lose with
I suspect he’s good at some things (as detailed by Steve) and poor at others, but at the end of the day the things he’s good at will not hold this team back.
LuckyNumber07 said: The only coaches that seem to succeed with young rosters are the hard nut types like Skiles, Larry Brown & the like. That works for a season or and then the team starts tuning them out.
You’re contradicting yourself in the same paragraph. They may get over achievement in one year and the next year they are gone because players stop listening. We had this situation when Larry Bird came here. Bill Fitch took over in Bird’s first year and stayed for 4. He put discipline and structure in place and then most of the players tuned him out. KC Jones then came in and was the perfect Coach for that team. Doc seems to be a combo coach who has the ability to instill structure and then know when to pull back. Now it seems the players, not the Coach, are keeping the team late at practice. We would not be successful if Skiles was here instead of Doc. Remember the blowouts Doc and PP had the first year. I don’t think Skiles could have handled that. Doc did.
He’s still too in love with veterans. You’ll see what I mean when PJ enters a close game in a later round.
by cmoney on Apr 24, 2008 9:39 PM EDT reply actions
Good at somethings, less good at others. However, with the veterans, Doc gave them and the team ownership of the season. Look at the focus they bring on a night to night basis. 3 double digit losses all season (next highest number was 8), maybe 1 game out of 82 where they did not have a chance to win in the 4th. The team coming together SO quickly, from day 1 — Doc has to get quite a bit of credit.
Also, just as an aside — this team is the best in the league at getting stuff out of timeouts. I know, totally anecdotal, but I have not seen many situations where the Celts do not get the right guy taking the right shot after a timeout. That is his biggest tactical strength as a coach.
This is pro sports — players play. Last year, Celts did not have the players, this year they do — and that ATTRACTS players.
It’s hard to figure out where his mind is when he has 4 starters, including one who was injured earlier, playing 9 minutes into the 4th quarter of a blowout. Unbelievable.
If one of those guys goes down because this clown can’t see the forest for the trees, I wonder how different the praise bandwagon will sound.
The one advantage that he has in these easy games is to rest his 30 year old vets while the dogfights go on all around him in other series.
by lobstermobster on Apr 25, 2008 12:48 PM EDT reply actions
They are playing 30-35 minutes a night still … still need them to play well consistently. The Big 3 have had ZERO 40 minute games between them since March 1, so he could not have done more to rest them this season. That is the amazing thing — this team ran over everybody, and they rested the final 6 weeks
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