I'll like to see Tom Thibodeau remain but, realistically, he could be gone after the playoffs.
Doc Rivers, one of the front-runners for the NBA
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Doc Rivers, one of the front-runners for the NBA
floyd wrote:Why would you want continuity? If it ain't broke, definatley fix it. Let's get Larry Freakin' Brown in here.
I'm sure any extension will be based on his performance when it counts - as it should.
The Rondo Show wrote:If you are going to give him no credit for coaching an extremely talented team and winning more than any team in the NBA, don't you feel it's a bit of a double standard to bash him for a sub .500 record when he had very little talent on his past teams? This is the first year he's had NBA title contending talent, and he has his team looking like a title contender and winning at a crazy rate.
bonsaiflipflops wrote:Jim O'Brien got the most out of a team lead by Pierce, Walker and others to the conference finals. O'Brien's philosophy impacted the team in a way that worked.
It's interesting to consider what could've been the shelf life of the 2001-2002 roster beyond this season.
W49-L33 - Defeated in Eastern conference finals versus New Jersey Nets.
Stars
Paul Pierce
Antoine Walker
Key Veterans
Kenny Anderson
Rodney Rogers
Walter McCarty
Eric Williams
Young Talent
Joe Johnson
Kedrick Brown
Joseph Forte
Role Players
Tony Battie
Tony Delk
Erick Strickland
Vitaly Potapenko
Milt Palacio
Others
Mark Blount
Randy Brown
Needless to say, O'Brien had to coach his rear off to manage the best of what he'd in players. And these players had to commit to playing team defense for an entire game. Now let's compare this season with that of Rivers' coaching for the 2006-2007 season.
W24-L58 - Failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Stars
Paul Pierce
Key Veterans
Wally Szczerbiak
Theo Ratliff
Michael Olowokandi
Young Talent
Al Jefferson
Delonte West
Ryan Gomes
Tony Allen
Rajon Rondo
Kendrick Perkins
Leon Powe
Sebastian Telfair
Allan Ray
Gerald Green
Role Players
Brian Scalabrine
Others
Kevinn Pinkney
Doing a quick roster comparison, one could argue that Rivers was put at a disadvantage having more youth than available veterans. Losing Ratliff hurt and the injury proneness of Szczerbiak and Pierce eventually sitting out the season due to an injury are worth mentioning. However, all things given equal, it's hard for me to believe that Rivers couldn't muster at least a forty or more wins season and perhaps a valiant effort in the first round of the playoffs.
I honestly believe that the 2006-2007 roster could've competed against the 2001-2002 roster, if both sides are healthy. But, of course, the defense for Rivers will likely be that he was stifled by the wanting to coach and win games and the need likely brought on by Ainge to develop the younger players at the same time. I'll say this, one obvious mistake done by the 2006-2007 roster was handing the point guard reigns to Telfair and not Rondo based on what he'd flashed in potential during the summer league. Rondo and West could've paired in the back court.
I'm just saying that to believe that Rivers is any better than an average head coach in the league need look no further at the masterful effort by O'Brien in the 2001-2002 season and overall as a Celtics head coach in four seasons.
O'Brien's record in four seasons - W139-L119
Rivers' record in three seasons prior to this season - W102-L144
So, O'Brien did more in one season (reached conference finals; reached second round in following season) than Rivers has done in five seasons with Orlando and three seasons with Boston prior to this season (four consecutive first round eliminations and three failures to qualify for the playoffs between both franchises).
bonsaiflipflops wrote:Stars
Paul Pierce
Key Veterans
Wally Szczerbiak
Theo Ratliff
Michael Olowokandi
MyInsatiableOne wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
The lack of talent on last year's team vs the 2001-02 team is jarring. The ECF team would have wiped the floor with last years team, even if they were healthy. To think otherwise is ludicrous.