The leash is off Doc

by DJlives on Feb 7, 2010 10:05 PM EST

Doc Rivers is a good coach. He draws up great situation specific plays. He is a class act and respects the game. Having said that Doc Rivers is a players coach. This is not a bad thing it is just his mode of communicating and motivating. The problem with a "players coach" is that when the players are not responding the leash is already off. It's difficult to go backwards to discipline and redirect their on court behavior in terms of execution and to use one of his favorite quotes "doing your job". Anyone who has children can relate to this ideology. Im not a sky is falling type of fan but like many others I am frustrated with how Rasheed is allowed to apparently do whatever he feels like doing. Im not putting all of our issues in Rasheeds lap but he is an example of a players coach starting to be irrelevant.

One of our major needs is an interior presence on both ends of the floor especially when Perk and KG are out or are in foul trouble. The coaching staff obviously sees what the fans see. Lazy help rotations, chucking three's, and a simple lack of energy. There are times he looks as if he is playing on a rec team. Again, this is not intended to lay it all on Rasheed he does some positive things and was a great signing at the time. My issue is with the coaching staff. When are they going to demand he does what the team needs him to do? Doc acts as if Rasheed is doing us a favor by showing up to the game and simply taking the court. Where is the accountability? You are the coach, he is the player (who is paid handsomely to be in shape and at least act interested) time for some seperation Doc. Show the team you have a line in the sand and demand focus and attention to detail. Iv'e always liked Doc and this will not change the respect I have for him as an athlete and coach but he is losing me ... fast.

Be respectful and keep it clean. Thanks.

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I have to disagree

I dont have a problem with Doc Rivers as a person..but as a coach, he’s terrible.
1. Allowing your players to do whatever, whenever, wherever on the court is not coaching. Hence your leash metaphor.
2. Failing to keep your team focused, prepared and motivation is not good coaching.
3. Avoiding a set rotation is not coaching properly,
4, Forcing your bigs (like KG and Sheed) down in the paint by designing plays accrodingly would be good coaching. But he doesn’t do this.
I think the players have stopped listening to him.
Both the team’s record and how they are playing, illustrates all of the above.

by thenation on Feb 7, 2010 10:20 PM EST reply actions

Coaches?

I think that it is funny that once the wheels start to fall off it becomes the coaches fault. The players…no…the starting 5 sucked the thrid quarter and for the last 18 games almost every third quarter. No one had the guts to fight back once the Magic punched us in the mouth. I would love for someone to man up and say give me the damn ball. We need to find the nasty that made us champs back two years ago. Our problem is we are soft……and everyone thinks that they can beat us….no one is afraid. Go back and watch the finals two years ago and you will see a Lakers team that was truly scared of us and the defense that we played….We need to find those days…..That does not come from the Coach that comes from the players.

by Roadbuilder on Feb 7, 2010 11:25 PM EST up reply actions

but the starting 5 have sucked so consistently…. and the coach has made no changes.

by MS12 on Feb 11, 2010 10:36 AM EST up reply actions

Why do we have a coach then, Roadbuilder? If its the players who win and lose games, lets use the coach’s salary to get at least another good player. Coaches are coaches and if they dont make any difference, why have them?

by Reyquila on Feb 7, 2010 11:33 PM EST reply actions

Good post, DJlives

You’re right. And the problem with Sheed is not limited to Sheed… I believe it affects the whole team. Kinda like when one kid starts going out of control in a classroom, pretty soon the whole class is in pandemonium. When everybody sees Sheed doing whatever he wants… which is as little as possible… and there’s no reaction or little reaction from Doc, the wheels start to come off the bus

Time for a major change… a MAJOR change. Either in Sheed, or in what this team does with Sheed.

by DRJ1 on Feb 8, 2010 6:33 AM EST reply actions

Overall, Doc is a sub-par coach...

He was a good “players” coach…but a lousy “in-game” coach as an “X & O” tactition.

Now, he has “lost” his ability as a player`s coach, as the players have tuned him out.

Also, if you are not an established player…make one mistake, and he will treat you as if you are dead! You will remain at the end of the bench forever.

by Title 18 on Feb 8, 2010 12:16 PM EST reply actions

Doc is to soft

I agree with all of you guys. Doc has no backbone. Sometimes you need to get in players faces and let them know how it is going to be. You can’t keep saying you love this team but we keep losing. We need to stop playing the bench so much. We develop leads and for some reason we blow it. WE play for only 36 minutes. This whole teams needs to look from the inside, get some balls, some heart, and get rid of some people. Your team is a direct reflection of your leadership. Stop playing scrubs. This is not high school anymore where you have to play everyone. These guys are professionals.

by aptexas on Feb 11, 2010 11:47 AM EST reply actions