Doc Rivers thinks his Clippers ‘should be better than any team I’ve ever coached’

Yahoo Sports


With one franchise stud already in place, the Boston Celtics managed to secure both Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in the summer of 2007, all for the price of lottery pick Jeff Green, some expiring contracts, and Al Jefferson. It was a stunning haul that immediately established Boston’s “Big Three,” which later led the team to the championship in 2008.

The coach of that squad was Doc Rivers, who is entering his first year running the Los Angeles Clippers from the sideline. Though most observers would easily sign off on giving the Clippers their own “Big Three” while including Rivers’ established and well-regarded acumen alongside point guard Chris Paul and forward Blake Griffin, the Clippers coach would prefer that an actual active player take his place in that triptych.

All while setting the sky as the limit for a Clippers team that hasn’t even played its first exhibition game yet. From ESPN Los Angeles’s Arash Markazi:

"They should be better than any team I've ever coached, I really believe that," Rivers said. "They're more athletic. They don't have the veteran IQ but they should be in that area. We have a couple of individual defenders that can be dominating on defense. We have great speed but we don't have the size in some ways as some of the teams I've coached."

"That's our big three, I like our big three," Rivers said. "I like what DeAndre [Jordan] gives us. He gives us something a lot of the guys in the league can't do. He can block shots, he can run the floor, he can defend, he's talking and he's in the best shape of his career. He's doing a lot of great things for us."

Rivers said he expects Jordan to be in the running for defensive player of the year this season and has spent the first two days of the Clippers' training camp in San Diego focusing on defense. Rivers expects the Clippers to be one of the best defensive teams in the league this season.

Sure, it’s true that DeAndre Jordan “can defend,” as Rivers states, but years of NBA evidence points to clip after clip of DeAndre working as a terribly limited defender in spite of all the shots he sends back. Jordan and Blake Griffin’s pick and roll and help defense needs serious help, but with a consistent defensive philosophy in place (something that former Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro was criticized for being unable to cobble together during stops in Chicago and Los Angeles), the Clippers are hoping to turn that around. This is why most consider Doc Rivers one of the more significant acquisitions of the 2013 offseason.

Beyond that, it’s hard to quibble with the idea of Rivers comparing his Los Angeles and Boston teams. Even if the idea of a “B** Th***” feels like an expletive-laden phrase to Celtics fans that watched their team win one title, make the Finals another year, nearly make the Finals in a third, and likely come within a Kevin Garnett injury from making the Finals in 2009.
Yes, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen had 21 All-Star appearances and one MVP award to their combined credit when they hooked up prior to the 2007-08 season, and it’s true that even in a best case scenario Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan won’t end up with anywhere near the total accolades that Boston’s Big Three eventually will, but this triptych could top the team in one category: NBA championship rings.

That’s not heresy. Even with Allen currently residing with the two-time defending champs and KG and Pierce working with the championship-or-bust Brooklyn Nets, all three players have “only” been a part of two championship squads. The Clippers have the NBA’s best point guard, and a power forward in Griffin that has the potential to act as the NBA’s best power forward. If Rivers can mold Jordan into an all-around, game-changing center in ways that don’t show up in the box score, the Clippers could rule the roost while teams like Miami, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City all possibly stare down an uncertain future because of myriad age, financial, and health reasons.

As was the case when Tom Thibodeau, Rivers’ lead assistant during the first three seasons of Boston’s Big Three run, took the coaching reins in Chicago after Del Negro’s turn, these Clippers appear to be aware of the fact that clowntime is over. Even in the first year of Paul’s run with Los Angeles, it seemed as if the Clippers were just a coach or at least philosophy away from truly competing, and Rivers’ presence and Ubuntu-leanings is a needed tonic for a team that disappointed with a first round exit last season.

"Lob City doesn't exist anymore. Lob City is done," Griffin told ESPN's Shelley Smith in an interview this week. "We're moving on and we're going to find our identity during training camp and that will be our new city. No more Lob City."

"People will still wear T-shirts," Griffin said. "I can't really go to people's houses and take their T-shirts and cut them up. But we [will] have a new identity as a team and that's going to be what we work out during training camp.
"We'll take about two or three weeks and really come up with something good."

The Clippers don’t really need a new identity, and they certainly don’t need a slogan to fit on a t-shirt.
They need proper spacing, a low post threat to finish ballgames, and a consistent and mindful defensive approach. If Doc Rivers and his three best players can deliver as much, yeah, they’ll definitely have something big in place.

112288

"They should be better than any team I've ever coached, I really believe that," Rivers said.

I mean....Doc REALLY.......Your pushing the panic button that you need to build up the teams ego by spreading that kind of bull Sh@t so early on! You have not even played a practice game yet!

Pathetic ....Glad you left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

112288

Just saying what he feels he has to in order to rev up his troops. Without making claims of championship aspirations, which could put a lot of pressure on his charges, he lets his team draw whatever inferences they wish by comparing them favorably with a team with which he won a championship.

I think people have to get over the idea that Doc is somehow bashing the Celtics and realize that his job is now to jack up the Clippers, and he's doing whatever he can toward that end.

Sam

Perhaps he meant to say that his Clippers team is better than his Orlando team.  I know what he is trying to do, but it's highly disingenuous.

And another thought just came to mind: does he actually think athleticism is the most important aspect of a team? The only championship team in recent memory that boasted superior athleticism is Miami. The Lakers, Celtics, Spurs, Mavericks, and Pistons were all veteran teams that didn't beat you with athleticism. The Clippers are a young, athletic team, and Chris Paul is the only one on that team I'm going to acknowledge as a major threat.

I think my prior assumptions about his acuity, or rather, lack thereof as a coach may have been right.


KJ

When you include DeAndre Jordan as the third member of your "Big Three", you really cannot be taken seriously.  We used to rag on the Heat in regards to Bosh not really being a star player in their B3.  Bosh is much more skilled than D Jordan.

When Blake Griffin is #2 of 3, well that is just pathetic.  He is athletic and can jump over cars, but he is not a complete package of a player.  Lob City is over?  What else does he have?

Color me jaded, but when Doc opens his mouth to speak lately, all I hear is "Quack!!"

gyso

Hi,
Doc has to create a new image - I get it.
As for Clipps going to the top - doubt it. CP3 is the only basketball star there (I don't count ability to jump over cars very useful in NBA) and he doesn't have "nutz" quality of KG, Kobe or Lebron, IMO.
Also, I'm not familiar with Clippers' coaching staff but I doubt they have a coach of Tibs' quality.

AK

gyso wrote:When you include DeAndre Jordan as the third member of your "Big Three", you really cannot be taken seriously.  We used to rag on the Heat in regards to Bosh not really being a star player in their B3.  Bosh is much more skilled than D Jordan.

When Blake Griffin is #2 of 3, well that is just pathetic.  He is athletic and can jump over cars, but he is not a complete package of a player.  Lob City is over?  What else does he have?

Color me jaded, but when Doc opens his mouth to speak lately, all I hear is "Quack!!"

gyso

Doc is sounding more and more like a jilted lover, incapable of stopping himself from telling his ex just how much prettier and nicer his new love is than her.  If this is the best team he's ever coached, then he damn well better win a championship.  If he doesn't, then there's only one person to look at, isn't there?  I'm going to say to Doc the same thing I say to players when they talk too much pre-game/pre-season, "SHUT UP AND BALL!".



Color me jaded, but when Doc opens his mouth to speak lately, all I hear is "Quack!!"











bob



.

Yeah, I don't get why Doc would say that. It seems of miniscule value to his new team and an unnecessary jab at his old one.

When the Clippers win a title, then he can ponder the question. After all, wasn't the message to Chris Paul a couple of days ago that he hasn't done anything yet because he hasn't won a title?

Doc has turned into a bandwagon jumper..

He has repeatedly disrespected Celtics Nation.

The yoyo master needs Stop taking shots at the team that supported him throughout the ups and downs.

Dboss

bobh,

Release the Quackin!! Too funny!!

gyso

Maybe Doc should beg Thibs to be his assistant again to mask his deficiencies as a coach...


KJ

I believe words are important. The fact that Doc said the Clips SHOULD be better than any team he has coached, rather than that they WILL be better than any team he has coached clearly indicates an attempt at challenging his team rather than a putdown to other teams.

Sam

I'm totally ok with Doc saying whatever he needs to say to motivate his troops. He was a great coach for us, and I wish him the second best. Best being reserved for our Celtics and #18.

Feature on Doc in NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/18/sports/basketball/riverss-move-brings-power-and-scrutiny.html?_r=0

Not a lot new in it (or real interesting) but apparently he's supposedly got Deandre Jordan's attention and has the offensively challenged center focused on improving his game.  Let's see if that includes his abysmal 39% free throw shooting.

He's not our coach anymore, he's being paid by the Clips. He needs to do what he thinks is going to help THAT team win games, not ours.

I have no issue with saying what he said. If that gets those guys to play at a higher level fine, so be it.

nothing her move along.......

beat

Interesting tidbit.


http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-clippers-20131019,0,3646795.story#axzz2iBiCF5h1

Clippers' Doc Rivers unveils banner idea at Staples Center
By Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times
October 18, 2013

Clippers Coach Doc Rivers had the Lakers' championship banners covered and had his players' banners draped over them instead at Staples Center.

Rivers said it will be done whenever it's the Clippers' home game in the arena they share with the Lakers.

The Lakers have 12 championship banners — Minneapolis has its five titles on one banner — and 10 retired jerseys, including Chick Hearn's microphone retired jersey.

"Well, I didn't look at it as the banner thing," Rivers maintained. "I just look at it as putting our guys up."

Rivers had the banners of Jamal Crawford, Blake Griffin, J.J. Redick, DeAndre Jordan, Jared Dudley, Chris Paul and Matt Barnes all put up on the wall.

The Kings' championship banner was still up on the opposite side of the arena.

Rivers was asked why he didn't put up his banners on the same side as the Kings' banner.

"Listen, I think this is our arena when we play," Rivers said. "So I just thought it would be good that we show our guys. No disrespect to them. But when we play, it's the Clippers' arena as far as I know."

Jordan has been with the Clippers for five seasons and he always wondered why the Lakers had their banners at the forefront.

"You've got to give those [Lakers] guys credit. They won championships so they have the right to put them up," Jordan said. "But at the same time, it doesn't say Lakers Arena outside. It says Staples."

A banner of Matt Barnes??

That's beyond funny.

I never heard of a banner for a player whose number or name wasn't retired.

So the L.A. Times says that the Lakers have 12 championship banners. I'm fine with that.

And, oh yeah, they inherited another five titles that it appears they don't feel are relevant enough to merit individual banners. They appear never to have embraced fully those five championships, with the single convenient exception of counting them in their pursuit of the Celtics.

I can't recall whether, in the early 50s, the NBA logo was a profile of Whitey Skoog of Minneapolis shooting a two-handed set shot.

Sam

Best 2 hand set shooter of ALL -Time




Red Klots

It is amusing, though...

"You guys are the best team I've ever had." This is an interesting breed of motivation. Telling them they're winners when they haven't accomplished anything.


KJ

YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL AND YOU NEED BANNERS TO GET YOU MOTIVATED...........PATHETIC !

112288

I think some of you may be looking at the banners thing the wrong way. Despite what Doc said, it's not that they're honoring their own players for their accomplishments; they're just covering up the Lakers' banners during home games. It's a way to have Staples Center be the Clippers' arena during home games instead of always having the Lakers (literally) hanging over them all the time. It makes sense to me as a way to help break the mental stranglehold the Lakers have on NBA basketball in LA.

Doc's still one of the smartest coaches out there.

He seems to be making the right moves so far.

Lakers have won and Clippers have not. They earned the right to be regarded the way they are in LA.


KJ

I agree KJ. Sometimes, when I watch away games, I actually feel pity for teams that are reduced to taking laughable measures to try to attain some kind of status. From the exhortations of amateurish p.a. announcers to the handkerchief waving, etc. I'm afraid that, with this move, Doc is making the Clippers look like a pitiful expansion or minor league franchise. What'll he do next? Dress the players in long pants to prove they're grown up?

Sam