Doc Rivers: Right Year To Start Early

Post #1 » by **mkwest** » Tue Sep 15, 2015 8:13 am

“Honestly this year, I’m really looking forward to it,” Rivers said. “We have a lot of promise. We’ve had a great summer. It’s a great summer where we’ve collected a lot of people, but they have to become a team. If we can do that, I think we’re going to be great.”

“We go to China this year, so we get to start a week early,” Rivers said. “I think of all the years we can start a week early with all the changes that we made, this is the right year.”

That trip to China has also played a role in the Clippers deciding to hold training camp in a close, convenient location.

“Because we’re going to China, we didn’t want to get on a plane and go anywhere,” Rivers said. “We just felt like getting away as a group is still nice, and to me, we get to get away twice. We go to Irvine and use their facilities, and then we get to go to China and the plane flight alone is forced together, so all that is good for us.”

While training camp will be the first time Rivers will be able to start coaching the Clippers, many of the players both new and old have already arrived in Los Angeles to work out at the facility and get ready for the year.

“Everybody’s here,” Rivers said. “Last couple days at our facility has been amazing. It’s one of the first times I actually contemplated kicking people out, which I’ve never done. Usually after Labor Day it’s only our guys. We’ve had 40 guys, 35 NBA players in our facility working out. It tells me two things – our guys are very serious, but the whole league is serious about this year.”

Rowan Kavner, Clippers.com

BlzMwt · Post #2 » by **BlzMwt** » Tue Sep 15, 2015 5:16 pm

It's always difficult to separate what is the common "all of our guys showed up prior to training camp" rhetoric that gets used every season and when it actually happens or means something.

I wish he would have named names, instead of the "everybody's here" just to get a read on who's committed so far. I'm not really sure if it's more important for the top stars to get there early to set an example or for the new guys, role players to come in and show they buy in

nickhx2 · Post #3 » by **nickhx2** » Tue Sep 15, 2015 6:35 pm

sounds like the usual "doc talk" stuff but good for the guys if they're all starting ahead of schedule. they need every bit of time to mesh that they can get.

JayClips92 · Post #4 » by **JayClips92** » Tue Sep 15, 2015 8:30 pm

Why is training camp so short? I feel like ever year Doc complains about not having enough practice time. One 3 hour practice a day for 5 days seems pretty relaxed compared to NFL training camp.

Post #5 » by **mkwest** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 5:05 am

I think the "everybody's here" comment was about there being 35-40 NBA players training at the facility. Our facility is always active in the offseason among NBA players. There's always scrimmages.

[instagram]https://instagram.com/p/7dmN7uJGKI/[/instagram]

JJ was recently in NC.
Dawson was in Michigan over the weekend.
Jamal...not sure
CP is on the West Coast, but he was celebrating his anniversary over the weekend.
Pierce is in LA
BG & DJ are likely in LA
Johnson is probably here
Aldrich is out here
You know Austin is out here
Josh Smith said he was coming out in early September.
Tskita better be out here.

JayClips92 wrote:Why is training camp so short? I feel like ever year Doc complains about not having enough practice time. One 3 hour practice a day for 5 days seems pretty relaxed compared to NFL training camp.

"Training Camp" is always only about 5 days or so and then the preseason starts. There's typically 2-a-days. Media is only allowed to interview after the morning sessions.

NBA4u · Post #6 » by **NBA4u** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 6:11 pm

NBA offseason is like what 10-12 practice days? so that's like 20 practices if you do two a days. Definitely not enough imo.

Good that they get to start a year early though

Little Digger · Post #7 » by **Little Digger** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 7:38 pm

heading to China is basically like losing a week of practice..I really don't see any gained advantage in terms of on the court chemistry..Anybody that's ever been on 16+ hour flights and all the extra stuff that goes with them knows how extrememly disruptive they can be to getting into a life routine,,

Post #8 » by **mkwest** » Fri Sep 18, 2015 8:07 pm

Little Digger wrote:heading to China is basically like losing a week of practice..I really don't see any gained advantage in terms of on the court chemistry..Anybody that's ever been on 16+ hour flights and all the extra stuff that goes with them knows how extrememly disruptive they can be to getting into a life routine,,

These type of trips are all about the bonding that takes place. With so many new players being added, a long trip like this can be really beneficial.