Doc Rivers Q&A

[mkwest]

Doc Rivers: Do young players 'want to stand out ... or win?'



Doc on the team's expectations

This is a younger team. This is a younger group. And so I think it will be really interesting to find out, 'Do you want to stand out, or do you want to win?' For young guys, that's hard to understand that if you win, you do stand out. Or, you can stand out alone and you'll get a lot of accolades, but you won't win and that's an individual thing. For us, and I don't know our guys yet, but for the young ones – that's DeAndre, Blake, and Chris – that'll be the key is sacrificing even some of their games for the good of the win. And that's what – if we can get that right, then I think we're going to be really good. That's why Matt (Barnes) signed back. And I think that's why JJ Redick wanted to join the team. That's why (Jared) Dudley was so excited, because they've been through it. JJ Redick was in the Finals his second year, and he probably assumed he'd be there every year. And now he realizes how hard it is to just get to the Finals. Forget winning it, to just get there is hard. I know the guys on this team who haven't been there don't understand how hard that is, but having JJ and a couple of other guys, they know how hard it is and that's important."

Doc on his current relationship with the players and his read on Blake

"I don't have a relationship with any of them. I'm having relationships with them now. I'm taking DJ out to dinner tonight, I'm going to meet Blake tomorrow, so my impressions of them so far have been fantastic. I met with Blake and DJ yesterday, and they've come in and worked every day. Just talking to people around the organization, you find out about Blake that his work ethic is just unbelievable. It's incredible. And to me, that only goes one way and that's a positive way. You have a worker, and he's talented, then it's going to work out. That's what you know."

Importance of connecting with his new players

"Yeah, my job the rest of the summer is just communication – get the message across, get guys to understand what we're in this for and get them ready for it."

Sam Amick, USA Today

[mike3]

I love Doc already, idk how he wouldn't motivate players to put in that extra effort

[QRich3]

Yeah he's the kind of guy that every time you hear him talk you think "yeah he really makes a lot of sense". I'm a natural skeptic and hearing him at his press presentation was almost convincing me that we are of course gonna fight for the title lol. Blake and DJ are hard workers that barely need any extra motivation, but hopefully he can stir all the work they put in in the right direction.

[jdm_dc_fan]

Don't get young guys confused with rookies. He will have no part in giving rookies any burn.

[2Mas]

Doc a genius speaker. He really is. I loved the way Doc communicated the dude he is. However as a coach, there's good & bads about Doc (as all coaches).

-His incredible stubbornness to not change the rotation even though that lineup can't score nmw will become very irritating lol.
-His i don't trust a rookie for my life is kinda annoying as well.
-That stupid peek a boo offense he'll run between CP & JJ (ala Rondo & Ray) will become frustrating cause CP just stands there dribbling as everyone watch JJ for 10 seconds lol.

He does come out with AMAZING 1 hitter of out bounds plays which is great, he just refuses to do it more than a couple times a year & no one gets why? lol. He loved the PP iso ball. The couple we did run plays they worked beautifully.

Doc's a hell of a guy & a great coach. He's not a top 2 coach like every one thinks, but he's definitely top 5-7 & he has a ton more good than bad. Even though I kinda think he's a d*ck not rebuilding with us lol.

[TheNewEra]

Better than what we had before.

[QRich3]

Yeah we are accostumed to Vinny "my whole offense consists in giving the ball to CP3 while the other 4 guys don't really know what they're supposed to be doing" del Negro so whatever Doc does won't seem too unoriginal Plus, he's gonna be leaning heavily on Gentry to draw the offense so it should still be ok. Our only rookie is Bullock and we have his position well covered so it's not a problem to bring him slowly either.

I think what everyone is most curious about is what is he gonna do with the defense, he seems to have a clear plan and none of us are seeing what it might be.