Austin Rivers watch

[Sofia]

A thread to compile how bad he plays.

Game 1 vs Cavs
+/- of -19 including -12 in 5 mins in 3rd/4th quarter.
Opposing player at his position scored 15 points and 5 assists while he was on.
Box score was a box of donuts and a few turnovers.

Let the tradition begin.

[LACtdom]

No one should be surprised by this. He's been bad ever since he was drafted.

[mattd13]

I feel the pain however as bad as farmar was, rivers will not solve that problem. I hope I am wrong but I am starting to lose confidence in the coaching. in boston doc had 3 very good players who could deliver. sadly I do not see it in cliper land. doc was lucky in boston. for this team to succeed he will have to actually coach.

[mike3]

Lets give the kid a chance, damn.

[MartinToVaught]

Lets give the kid a chance, damn.

Cunningham didn't get a chance, why should a far worse player get one?

[mttwlsn16]

Ya, I agree with M2V on this one. I think Rivers COULD be an upgrade over Farmar, bc Farmar was awful, but I would have rather we just waive Farmar and kept Cunningham. We wasted what few assets we had to get the coaches kid. Hope he proves us all wrong.

[mike3]

Lets give the kid a chance, damn.

Cunningham didn't get a chance, why should a far worse player get one?

Agreed, however what's the point in hating on new players on our team? It's not Austins fault his dad didn't give Cunningham minutes is it. I personally didn't mind the CP - Austin - Jamal - Blake - Hawes lineup that Doc first put in, I didn't see the 2nd half though.

[Ranma]

I don't mind Austin Rivers being on the team even though I've been critical of him even before he came to the Clippers. The kid has always needed work on his shot, but that is something that should be rectifiable if he is willing to put in the work. He has potential as a combo guard with his ability to drive to the net, but Coach K couldn't get much out of him during his one year at Duke. However, he looks like a committed defender and, if there is anyone who could get him to realize his full potential, it should be his father, which is why I don't mind his acquisition in and of itself. What I do mind is the cost paid to get him since he was basically ticketed for the D-League and the double standard with regards to Doc's commitment towards player development of young prospects.

I just heard the sideline reporter on the Kings' telecast during the game say that Doc countered his critics of the trade by saying that they pursued him in the off-season yet we're supposed to believe that he had to be convinced by his internal staff to pull the trigger? Talk about trying to cover his tracks.

[kylem4711]

ha, great thread

[Quake Griffin]

Well, I'll bitch about the move in the offseason if it doesnt work.

for now, I'm pulling for Austin Rivers (much like I do Jay Cutler) to troll the world by proving them wrong.

[Wammy Giveaway]

The kid has always needed work on his shot, but that is something that should be rectifiable if he is willing to put in the work ... However, he looks like a committed defender and, if there is anyone who could get him to realize his full potential, it should be his father, which is why I don't mind his acquisition in and of itself. What I do mind is the cost paid to get him since he was basically ticketed for the D-League and the double standard with regards to Doc's commitment towards player development of young prospects.

After watching today's game vs. Kings, it's safe to say that his shot will never be fixed. It's a permanent weakness that he has to be willing to accept.

If there's one redeemable quality about Austin, he may be touted as a defensive specialist. Remember how I said at the beginning of the season that Doc will have to throw the kitchen sink to cover the small forward hole? Point guards, shooting guards and power forwards will masquerade as the small forward, taking turns as they guard opposing players of that spot. The cost of faking the 3 spot is turning unknown quantities into All Stars for a day, which has been a troubling theme for the Clippers ever since the season started.

It's not about having a defensive stopper, so to speak. You know how in action and adventure shows, when a superhero and his sidekick are confronted by lesser villains working for the bad guy. The sidekick usually says "I'll hold them off," and he commences subduing the big bad boss's goons until a plan can be initialized and executed. This is what Doc Rivers is basically doing: having his entire team guard every position with endless switching as a means to slow down their opponent's attack, and pray that a hidden weakness is exposed so that he can use a timeout to set up a play that will either 1) provide them a score or a trip to the free throw line or 2) prevent the team from producing a shot, completing a pass, or nullifying the possession all together. That's why I created Preventions in the first place.

Once I catch up with my chart, I'll post my findings here. I do have a website on this, but it's still under construction and on hiatus due to me falling behind.

Until I can determine his activity on the court, Austin Rivers is to be considered as a lucky charm.

[Neddy]

Lets give the kid a chance, damn.

Cunningham didn't get a chance, why should a far worse player get one?

no he's not, with all your hate on Doc, come on man. Austin was a lottery pick. Cunningham was selected 14 picks later in the same draft and has been bouncing around, already on to his 8th professional team in his short career, whereas Austin is now PLAYING for his only second team as a pro. Jared was an undersized SG who was masquerading as a PG and showed no court vision, whereas Austin is a 6-4 PG who can d up on opposing two guards. both are slashers but one actually has some court vision.

your doc hate is blinding your judgement in this case for sure.

if you want to make a case against Austin, you would have a better chance convincing anyone here that Austin is a lesser player than the malcontent we just released.

[Neddy]

I don't mind Austin Rivers being on the team even though I've been critical of him even before he came to the Clippers. The kid has always needed work on his shot, but that is something that should be rectifiable if he is willing to put in the work. He has potential as a combo guard with his ability to drive to the net, but Coach K couldn't get much out of him during his one year at Duke. However, he looks like a committed defender and, if there is anyone who could get him to realize his full potential, it should be his father, which is why I don't mind his acquisition in and of itself. What I do mind is the cost paid to get him since he was basically ticketed for the D-League and the double standard with regards to Doc's commitment towards player development of young prospects.

I just heard the sideline reporter on the Kings' telecast during the game say that Doc countered his critics of the trade by saying that they pursued him in the off-season yet we're supposed to believe that he had to be convinced by his internal staff to pull the trigger? Talk about trying to cover his tracks.

he is one of those kids who should have stayed in school a few more years longer.

[Lindecision]

Some of you guys are pathetic. I'm done with this board until the trolls are banned.

[MartinToVaught]

Lets give the kid a chance, damn.

Cunningham didn't get a chance, why should a far worse player get one?

no he's not, with all your hate on Doc, come on man. Austin was a lottery pick.

Just being a lottery pick doesn't make you the better player, especially when you're one of the worst lottery picks in recent NBA history. Hell, I can think of several undrafted guys I'd rather have than him, starting with that Covington guy from the Sixers.

Jared was an undersized SG who was masquerading as a PG and showed no court vision, whereas Austin is a 6-4 PG who can d up on opposing two guards. both are slashers but one actually has some court vision.

Hard to tell how much "court vision" Cunningham really had when he never got a chance, while Rivers is getting guaranteed minutes because of his last name. Cunningham was at least athletic and played defense, which we're sorely lacking. He also made baskets other than free throws, which is something Austin has yet to do as a Clipper.

Austin is so bad that the beat writers were cheerleading for him just because he wasn't a total screw-up against a lottery team missing their best player.

[MartinToVaught]

I don't mind Austin Rivers being on the team even though I've been critical of him even before he came to the Clippers. The kid has always needed work on his shot, but that is something that should be rectifiable if he is willing to put in the work. He has potential as a combo guard with his ability to drive to the net, but Coach K couldn't get much out of him during his one year at Duke. However, he looks like a committed defender and, if there is anyone who could get him to realize his full potential, it should be his father, which is why I don't mind his acquisition in and of itself. What I do mind is the cost paid to get him since he was basically ticketed for the D-League and the double standard with regards to Doc's commitment towards player development of young prospects.

I just heard the sideline reporter on the Kings' telecast during the game say that Doc countered his critics of the trade by saying that they pursued him in the off-season yet we're supposed to believe that he had to be convinced by his internal staff to pull the trigger? Talk about trying to cover his tracks.

he is one of those kids who should have stayed in school a few more years longer.

There's some truth to that. I know everyone says that players should get that money while they can, but Austin is a special case considering who his father is. He was by no means ready for the league when he declared.

On the other hand, if the rumors of Austin being an uncoachable diva at Duke are true, staying for another year or two wouldn't have helped very much unless he vastly matured.

[LACtdom]

For those wanting some positives out of the Austin Rivers ordeal. We've all been crying for Doc to give our younger/more athletic players minutes over the washed up has-beens (no offence Hedo) and it looks like Rivers could be getting 15 - 20 minutes per game soon to give us some "speed" off the bench in the form of a "downhill guard" who can attack the basket. Austin can't shoot to save himself but since we are already too much of a jump shooting team that may be a good thing as his only form of offence is attacking the basket. I'd rather Rivers who gets minutes rather than a Cunningham who didn't get minutes.

[willywazza]

This is a make or break opportunity for his NBA career.

He will be playing in the D-League or overseas if he doesn't play well for this team.

[MartinToVaught]

This is a make or break opportunity for his NBA career.

He will be playing in the D-League or overseas if he doesn't play well for this team.

It doesn't matter how poorly he plays, he's not going anywhere unless Doc is given a pink slip. Let's be real now.

[Maf]

Well, I'll bitch about the move in the offseason if it doesnt work.

for now, I'm pulling for Austin Rivers (much like I do Jay Cutler) to troll the world by proving them wrong.

Well I can honestly say that Austin Rivers and Jay Cutler proves their haters wrong about same rate.