<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Doc Rivers will be the next head coach of the Celtics. Team sources and a source close to Rivers confirmed that the former NBA coach of the year would replace John Carroll as head coach and that it was only a matter of finishing paperwork before the hiring becomes official. A press conference to announce the hiring could take place as soon as Thursday. Rivers, who was fired by the Orlando Magic in November after the team got off to a 1-10 start, had coached the Magic for four full seasons and made the playoffs three times, advancing to the second round once. He was the NBA's coach of the year in 2000 after guiding the Magic to a 41-41 record in his first season as coach. </div> Link
I've always liked Doc Rivers and although his record isn't that good, he's always seemed like a good coach. Let's hope this is a good move for Boston.
Ya beat me to it! NOt a huge surprise, although I thought Westy had the inside track. I don't mind this one, but Doc will have his share of detractors inside the Celtic Nation, that's for certain. I'm just waiting to see what the hack beat writers like Peter May have to write about this.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Ya beat me to it!</div> Same here! If my CPU was freezing all the time, I would have posted a while ago. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">NOt a huge surprise, although I thought Westy had the inside track</div> Yeah. They were the two leading candidates to get the job. I agree that Boston would be better off if they got Westy. I think he was like 105 games above .500. But Doc isnt bad. Now Boston needs to do something about that roster.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Now Boston needs to do something about that roster.</div> Not to worry. I'm pretty sure that this will be the busiest off-season for the Celtics in recent memory.
I really like this move, I think Rivers will be a good coach and will be a much better devloper of talent than anyone from the Pitino era. I see Rivers doing something wimilar to what Terry Porter did with the Bucks this season. Everyone was doubting them and they ended up playing good basketball and making the playoffs.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">and will be a much better cevloper of talent than anyone from the Pitino era.</div> That won't be hard to accomplish!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hagrid:</div><div class="quote_post"> That won't be hard to accomplish! </div> I don't think anyone could possibly destroy younger players confidence and then trade them away before they become good players more than anyone involved with Pitino did
Enjoy your first season w/ Doc.. Every coach can anticipate what your team is going to do and will be able to shut the team down The main plan will be "Give the ball to Pierce".... he's a good motivator...not that great of a play maker..but an average coach...i think he is better than Jonny Davis (magic current head coach).. Just don't let doc influence your GM's drafting choices...hahahahahaha..actually let him..mwhahhahahaha... doc convinced our gm to draft Sasser over TONY PARKER!!!!! hahahaahahahahahahahhahahahah omgggggggg...that was as bad as trading our 2nd rounder for robert archibald and then dropping him. i hope boston is good next season but I hope the Magic are even better..lots of changes will be made on both teams..this shoudl be an interesting offseason
I'm mixed on this decision by the Celtics and by Doc Rivers. From the Celtics point of view I have to question hiring a coach who has had a history of not getting along with his GM. Doc Rivers had a great first season with the Magic, but once John Gabriel made moves against his wishes, the Magic suffered, and Doc Rivers became the scapegoat, and was eventually fired. The undefined agenda of Danny Ainge matched with a demanding coach is a recipe for disaster. Danny Ainge seems committed to rebuilding the Celtics, but will his vision remain the same when the Boston Media and fans start ripping on him? And if changes his agenda, will him and Doc Rivers be on the same page? I think Doc Rivers might have walked into a mine field by signing on with the Celtics. The Celtics are a one star team in limbo, with a lot of needs to fill. The Celtics do have some options with their draft picks, young talent to trade, and some cap space. However Doc Rivers could just be setting himself up to be the scapegoat once again, if the Celtics cannot show improvement in one or two seasons.
I don't care what anyone says about Doc, he is a great man and a great coach, personally one of my favorites ever since he became one. Not forgetting along with Sloan, I've never really had any experience of Brown. He can do this. If he was able to do it with a nobody team like the Magic, then he can do it with the likes of other nobodies, meaning the Sixers and the Celtics. I feel he'll bring out people's best, regardless of them being bad players, he's a nice guy, he'll probably raise morale and treat players right to the extent that they'd play their hearts out for him. It'll also be nice for Pierce to have good company. Finally Ainge, you did something right for once.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Every coach can anticipate what your team is going to do and will be able to shut the team down The main plan will be "Give the ball to Pierce"....</div> That's always the main plan, from what I've seen, But I don't think Doc can go solely in that direction. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Danny Ainge seems committed to rebuilding the Celtics, but will his vision remain the same when the Boston Media and fans start ripping on him?</div> Fair enough reservation, but that's already been in play since he's come in and started making moves. Danny doesn't seem to be phased at all by the hack beat writers taking pot-shots at him and the majority of the Celtic Nation is giving him leadway to see where this is going. As far as the correlations to the bad team here and the bad team in orlando: There's going to be alot of changes this off-season and next year. Big changes, without moving ANYONE, can already be had, in inserting Raef and benching Waltah. Just those 2 moves make us instantly a much better team. Just think of what else could move us toward the positive once Danny starts making moves to shore up the issues at the Center spot and potentially the pg spot.
Good choice IMO, always have been a big fan of Doc, and I think he was made a scapegoat for Orlando's deeper problems (ie: T-Mac and Gabriel). Hopefully he'll prove his worth in beantown, FWIW I think Danny has made the right choice.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting courtsidetv:</div><div class="quote_post">Just don't let doc influence your GM's drafting choices...hahahahahaha..actually let him..mwhahhahahaha... doc convinced our gm to draft Sasser over TONY PARKER!!!!! hahahaahahahahahahahhahahahah omgggggggg...that was as bad as trading our 2nd rounder for robert archibald and then dropping him. </div> I can top that easily. In that same draft the Celtics had three first round picks. Numbers 10, 11, and 21. With those picks they selected Joe Johnson, Kedrick Brown, and Joe Forte, none of which are still on the team. Johnson was the first to go, he was traded for two players who aren't with the team anymore, Tony Delk and Rodney Rodgers. Then they traded Joe Forte with Kenny Anderson and Vitaly Potopenko for two players that aren't with the team, Vin Baker and Shammond Williams. Then this season they traded Kedrick Brown with Eric Williams and Tony battie for Ricky Davis, Chris Mihm, and Michael Stewart, surprisingly enough they remain with the team (though they all failed to show up in the playoffs ). So as you can see I would prefer to have Rivers influence management if they are going to do what they did in 2001.
Boston is like Orlando but with better players (specially center) and more cap space , which I would like If I was Doc... Doc is a great coach I think he will make a great job with Boston , I hope they don't lose Blount tho.