Doc - Coach of the year

LongTimeFan · Post #1 » by **LongTimeFan** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 2:46 pm

Doc is the coach of the year.

This team didn't have to become a team where the greater good is always first. This team didn't have to become a team where the vets nurtured their future replacements, where Baby congratulates Powe, where all the starters support a second year PG.

The last two nights are perfect examples. Back to back against two of the best teams in the NBA on their turf.

Against the former champs, we were getting blown out early on. Doc steadied the ship and by the end of the first half the game was over. The Celts walked off down ten triumphantly; they knew this was their game and that they could not be stopped.

Houston was on a 22 game win streak. Half time, Doc told them how to beat them. We crushed them. We have a leader with a vision and our players believe in him. It didn't have to be this way. We've all seen great teams talentwise have great prima donna issues.

These two games we won because Doc is the coach and for wahtever reason our players beleive in him.

Incredibly, this season just gets better and better.

Two wins in Texas against the two best teams Texas has, back to back. Without Doc we'd probably get neither.

Dogen · Post #2 » by **Dogen** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 2:55 pm

Is coach of the year decided at the end of the regular season? I think so, and if that is the case Doc has a great chance to win it.

But I'm really interested to see how this team performs in a few 7 game series. I've become a Doc fan, but I think this team needs to get to the finals this year before I would consider him a great coach.

Egregious Blunder · Post #3 » by **Egregious Blunder** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 3:02 pm

i havent been the biggest supporter, but i always said he shouldnt take the blame for the bad past.
but dang!
hes been a chess master this year.

Post #4 » by **darrendaye** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 3:17 pm

As I've been cautious in my criticisms of him as a coach, I'm equally reserved in my praise at this stage. With the immense changes that had occured during the offseason, both in players and coaches, I believe this will hurt his chances of winning the award. The team has shown resolve this year and that speaks well of the man in charge.

Datruth345 · Post #5 » by **Datruth345** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 3:27 pm

to me

winning these last 2 games back to back, i give alot of the credit to doc rivers

being 14-2 on second games of back to backs, i also give alot of that credit to doc rivers

having his players prepared and focused for every game in the NBA is extremely hard, and Doc has done an incredible job with that this season

just an outstanding year, for everyone in the Celtics organization Danny, Doc, the players, Tom Thibodeau

Cross · Post #6 » by **Cross** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 3:31 pm

Doc wasn't as bad as people made him out to be last year and he's not as good as people make him out to be this year.

He's a good coach, a great manager of people, he's fantastic out of timeouts, and now that he has Tom Thibodeau running his defense for him along with the drastic increase in talent, he has all the tools to win and, to his credit, he's done so.

Should he be commended for keeping egos in check and managing his players? Absolutely. Should he win the CoY award? Debatable, but you can't argue with his candidacy. Would we be having this conversation if his team wasn't so talented? Probably not...

Tricky Ricky · Post #7 » by **Tricky Ricky** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 3:43 pm

As much as I think Doc sucks I would love to see another celtic get an award. I just wish Tom Thibodeau could recieve some type of award

stretch · Post #8 » by **stretch** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 3:58 pm

Tricky Ricky wrote:As much as I think Doc sucks I would love to see another celtic get an award. I just wish Tom Thibodeau could recieve some type of award

what does Tom Thibodeau deserve an award for? Quite frankly, this whole defensive assistant coach thing has been overrated.. just like how this message board overrated the big man assistant coach, Clifford Ray.

This is basically Tom teaching Doc's defense. Danny made it clear. It wouldn't work though if you didn't have KG leading the pack, with Posey's ability and House's energy driving the team. They're able to execute Doc's message... put in the effort. thus you have a rookie like Davis whose game time is managed superbly by Doc, to maintain his high level of effort and energy, coming in and diving for balls. You have a brilliant move in bringing in Powe to change the game, and Powe came out with a lot of energy knowing that he might not play any minutes for another 3-4 games.

Doc's just done an incredible job.. like he's always been capable of. It's just that, when you've got Ricky Davis (ask Pat Riley), or Gerald Green, or malcontent Pierce, or guys like that..... it's not always easy ..

stretch · Post #9 » by **stretch** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 3:58 pm

Tricky Ricky wrote:As much as I think Doc sucks I would love to see another celtic get an award. I just wish Tom Thibodeau could recieve some type of award

what does Tom Thibodeau deserve an award for? Quite frankly, this whole defensive assistant coach thing has been overrated.. just like how this message board overrated the big man assistant coach, Clifford Ray.

This is basically Tom teaching Doc's defense. Danny made it clear. It wouldn't work though if you didn't have KG leading the pack, with Posey's ability and House's energy driving the team. They're able to execute Doc's message... put in the effort. thus you have a rookie like Davis whose game time is managed superbly by Doc, to maintain his high level of effort and energy, coming in and diving for balls. You have a brilliant move in bringing in Powe to change the game, and Powe came out with a lot of energy knowing that he might not play any minutes for another 3-4 games.

Doc's just done an incredible job.. like he's always been capable of. It's just that, when you've got Ricky Davis (ask Pat Riley), or Gerald Green, or malcontent Pierce, or so many young guys that want to make a name..... it's not always easy ..

and it's contagious. KG and House's energy is contagious. So is Pierce's enthusiasm. You see it in Cassell. He was going crazy the last two games. It translates into the effort they put in, hustling and playing defense. I haven't seen Sam play that hard defensively like he did last night.

So it starts with Doc. you don't just bring in some magical assistant like Clifford Ray, Dick Harter, and Tom T... and suddenly have a massive transformation in your big man's play or in your defense.

Egregious Blunder · Post #10 » by **Egregious Blunder** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 3:58 pm

i remember hearing in a game that the celts were #1 in the league in production after a time out.
i cant find the stats, but thats a good judgement of a head coach.

stretch · Post #11 » by **stretch** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 4:05 pm

In fact, I want to repeat that crucial point again. You don't just bring in some "magical" assistant coach like Clifford Ray, Dick Harter, or Tom T for example... and suddenly have some sort of massive transformation in your big man's play or in your defense.

Basketball doesn't work that simply... or else Tom T would be our headcoach, or Clifford Ray would be offered millions by LA or Orlando to go back... or Dick Harter would be a headcoach.

it's one of the weirdest sentiments I've seen on the realgm board.

This one's all about Doc Rivers. He's absolutely the Coach of the Year. Much credit to his coaching staff and players... but Doc's the real leader of this team.

Post #12 » by **ParticleMan** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 4:12 pm

Doc has definitely done a great job and should be COY. but i still don't think he's the "best" coach in the NBA. he's just the best for our team. he has a great temperament and is a great motivator, and when you have talent like this that is 90% of the battle. he is a solid x's and o's guy (something i've always said; it's just when you have the collection of young goofballs we've had the past few years it doesn't show), but he is not a genius. again, you don't have to be when you have KG, PP and Ray. Doc does a good job of getting out of the way most of the time, and injecting motivation and energy when he needs to. and yes, it is DOC's defense, not Thib's, but even Doc has admitted that without Thib's attention to detail it wouldn't work. the key thing Doc has done is to get everyone to buy into playing D (particularly ray and PP, and no i don't think it's all KG, if that was true why did Minny have a crappy D the last few years?).

Doc isn't some uber genius coach but he is the perfect coach to get the most out of this team.

MyInsatiableOne · Post #13 » by **MyInsatiableOne** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 4:54 pm

Doc has done masterfully this year, for the most part. And I think it really is important to have a coach who works the team but also understands them since he's a former player. It truly seems like everyone, from KG and Paul and Ray all the way down to Scal, enjoy playing for him.

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy...whatever you all might have thought about Doc in the past, he truly seems like a nice guy. I'm happy for him and his success...go Celts!

CeltsfaninDC · Post #14 » by **CeltsfaninDC** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 5:20 pm

Answer this question: If Doc had the same team this year that he had last year would you be touting him for COTY?

Its the players, not the coach who are winning these games. Doc just needs to stay out of the way.

Joyeuse · Post #15 » by **Joyeuse** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 6:07 pm

Most other years I'd say Doc should win hands down, but the Rockets have been doing incredible with a limited roster. If they end up with one of the top seeds in the west with basically just T-Mac and a bunch of roleplayers, a good deal of their success has to be attributed to Adelman. Doc maximized what he could get out of a team with championship talent, which is great my hat's off to him for that, but Adelman is doing something amazing right now. Doc is easily my second choice though.

MyInsatiableOne · Post #16 » by **MyInsatiableOne** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 6:07 pm

He has settled down with rotations, though, which is a big change from last year. He also seems to make better adjustments on the fly (granted he has a superior coaching staff).

I was waiting for the first negative post on this topic...thanks!

Joyeuse · Post #17 » by **Joyeuse** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 6:10 pm

CeltsfaninDC wrote:Answer this question: If Doc had the same team this year that he had last year would you be touting him for COTY?

Its the players, not the coach who are winning these games. Doc just needs to stay out of the way.

We don't give MVP's to players who do a great job on teams that don't make the playoffs. Obviously Doc wouldn't be coach of the year if he didn't even have a team to coach. I don't see this as inconsistent. This is an achievement award, not a talent evaluation.

Tricky Ricky · Post #18 » by **Tricky Ricky** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 6:17 pm

CeltsfaninDC wrote:Answer this question: If Doc had the same team this year that he had last year would you be touting him for COTY?

Its the players, not the coach who are winning these games. Doc just needs to stay out of the way.

agreed

Tricky Ricky · Post #19 » by **Tricky Ricky** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 6:21 pm

stretch wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

what does Tom Thibodeau deserve an award for? Quite frankly, this whole defensive assistant coach thing has been overrated.. just like how this message board overrated the big man assistant coach, Clifford Ray.

This is basically Tom teaching Doc's defense. Danny made it clear. It wouldn't work though if you didn't have KG leading the pack, with Posey's ability and House's energy driving the team. They're able to execute Doc's message... put in the effort. thus you have a rookie like Davis whose game time is managed superbly by Doc, to maintain his high level of effort and energy, coming in and diving for balls. You have a brilliant move in bringing in Powe to change the game, and Powe came out with a lot of energy knowing that he might not play any minutes for another 3-4 games.

Doc's just done an incredible job.. like he's always been capable of. It's just that, when you've got Ricky Davis (ask Pat Riley), or Gerald Green, or malcontent Pierce, or guys like that..... it's not always easy ..

LOl I also remember when Danny said he wasnt shopping ANtoine then traded him the next week dont believe everything Danny says.

Yes it is great hes playing Powe, its just sad it took Doc 2 or 3 months to give Powe any minutes.

Ya the reason the Heat are bad isnt because of an old Shaq, or injured Wade its clearly...clearly Ricky Davis

Al n' Perk No Layups! · Post #20 » by **Al n' Perk No Layups!** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 6:32 pm

CeltsfaninDC wrote:Answer this question: If Doc had the same team this year that he had last year would you be touting him for COTY?

Its the players, not the coach who are winning these games. Doc just needs to stay out of the way.

Answer this question: If Greg Popovich was coaching last years team, would we have made the playoffs?

Quit being a hater, Doc is a very good coach. He's brought some lousy teams to playoff births (Orlando).