Doc Rivers is a Coward

[EJPLAYA]

I disagree with the thought that your stars and vets shouldn't get special treatment. That is what keeps them happy and they have worked hard and proved themselves in the past to earn that. The only reason that this team hasn't completely fallen apart and started turning on each other is because Doc's treatment of the stars. Time and time again we see star-ladened teams go through a rough patch and completely implode. The difference in this situation is that Doc DIDN'T treat these stars like every one else on the team. It is easy to sit back and say that BBD should be treated better because he hustles most of the time. It's another thing to lose your leaders because you are harder on them than a young limited talent guy like BBD. The surest way to throw us into rebuilding mode is to treat them all the same.

I would also add that this isn't BBD's first issue. He has been a high maintenance player most of his career. Doc's right. He hasn't earned that yet.

[Drucci]

The things I don't like in that quote are:

You’re not [Kevin] Garnett or one of those guys. [/b]

. . . I just told him, he’s not at that point yet in his life where he can turn it on or off. And we need him to be an every-possession player.

Maybe it's how the NBA works, but I don't like this "veterans can take plays off" / "it's okay when KG picks up a tech" mindset.  If somebody makes a stupid play, come down on them, no matter who it is.

One of Doc's faults, in my opinion, is that he defers way too much to his veterans.  That can work great when the team is self-motivated (see, e.g., 2008 team).  However, when a team is struggling or is being outright lazy, I don't think it's right to give the vets a free pass, simply because they've earned it.

I mean, everyone always talks about vets "leading by example".  Well, if the example they're setting is a poor one, and the coach is endorsing that, can you really blame the young guys for getting the wrong idea?

That in no way excuses BBD for being an idiot, but come on, Doc needs to hold *all* of his players to a high standard.

What's even funnier in that quote is that KG got whistled for a T just seconds after Glen's one (on the next possession actually) and yet Doc says that he is not KG.

I think Doc's behaviour is a little bit hypocritical because like you said he relies too much on his vets and gives them free pass for everything.

On the other hand I think he was more fed up with Glen for his whole attitude and not solely for the tech. I recall he shouted on him many times during that game to tell him to pass the freakin' ball when he got offensive boards.

I think the organization is really tired of Baby's behaviour and I can't blame them, he has become my least liked Celtic this season...

[nickagneta]

Being a Doc apologist lets see if I can twist this into what Doc may have been thinking.

"You don’t get a tech in that situation. When you’re up 18 points, again, your team is struggling." - he's right. You just don't. For all the technicals I've seen Perk and Sheed pick up this year, I haven't seen them do it when the C's were up big unless it was a double technical for scuffling with someone. A tech in that situation is enormously stupid.

"You’re not [Kevin] Garnett or one of those guys. You don’t get the liberty to talk anyway to the officials." - perhaps what he is saying is not that he, Doc, has a double standard but that the officials do and that the officials, after spendiong years and years on the courts with these superstars and building relationships with them, will cut slack to a superstar like Kevin Garnett for saying something to them after picking up an out of character stupid foul but that a guy like Baby, who has a lot of stupid fouls and doesn't have that relationship with the refs, isn't afforded that slack.

"But I thought he was playing like the score and I just told him, he’s not at that point yet in his life where he can turn it on or off. And we need him to be an every-possession player. And I didn’t think he was that tonight." - he's right again. When you have been around and have learned the art of being a veteran and get the ability to coast in games a bit but then turn it back on, you can. Especially if you are or were a superstar. But only certain players are afforded that luxury and then only after they have proven themselves capable of being the type of player that can do it. 1.) Baby will never be that player because he just isn't good enough 2.) Even if he was, he hasn't earned that right in his third year and finally 3.) Bench players should never ever be that type of player because you have limited minutes.


That I think is a lot of the problem with Rasheed. He's taken the whole, coasting in games as a vet to conserve oneself to a whole different level and frankly, is setting a horrible example. Now, most Doc detractors will point to Rasheed and point out the hypocrisy of what Doc is doing here but Doc didn't sign Rasheed to a ridiculous 3 year $20 million contract. Rasheed did not get these irreversibly bad habits while playing under Doc. Doc has just been the guy stuck with Wallace and having to make the best out of a bad situation.

Doc may have been trying all year to coach Rasheed up and out of these habits. He did, after all, have one rather public outburst regarding a Wallace bad habit already. Doc may have been preaching to his young players all year that Rasheed's example of doing things is the wrong one. We don't know any of that but many people see the results and jump to conclusions that Doc is letting certain stuff happen or is okay with it when, quite frankly, the complete opposite could be true.



Anyway, that's a Doc supporters twist on the quote. I think it's as viable an explanation as any on what Doc may have been saying and what has been happening behind the scenes.

[BballTim]

the tech BBD got was terrible, but if i was the coach i would overlook it at that moment because of the fact that like him or not, BBD is giving amazing effort the last 2 months. I would talk to him about it later. i could eb wrong, but picking up techs has not been a problem for BBD as far as I can remember.

but when you sign sheed, you are telling your team that you can do what you want and you can put your own emotions in front of the team if you are upset. I do not see why BBD getting one here is a huge deal and the fact that sheed, who has mailed it in from day one, gets a free pass. because, as dennis green would say, he is who we thought he was? it is a double standard. me, i would favor the guy who has been giving top effort, and I do not care who is the veteran.

  I honestly don't think that anything would change for the better if they benched Sheed for talking to the refs. Benching BBD for the rest of the game is more effective. And, while Baby has been putting in a good effort, I think the fact that he missed 1/3 of the season because he punched a friend of his precludes him from complaining about not being given the same amount of latitude as a vet.

[CelticG1]

I disagree with the thought that your stars and vets shouldn't get special treatment. That is what keeps them happy and they have worked hard and proved themselves in the past to earn that. The only reason that this team hasn't completely fallen apart and started turning on each other is because Doc's treatment of the stars. Time and time again we see star-ladened teams go through a rough patch and completely implode. The difference in this situation is that Doc DIDN'T treat these stars like every one else on the team. It is easy to sit back and say that BBD should be treated better because he hustles most of the time. It's another thing to lose your leaders because you are harder on them than a young limited talent guy like BBD. The surest way to throw us into rebuilding mode is to treat them all the same.

I would also add that this isn't BBD's first issue. He has been a high maintenance player most of his career. Doc's right. He hasn't earned that yet.

TP, I can't disagree with anything you have posted. In theory you should treat all players the same but in reality that would be a disaster. As a vet I think you have earned the right to say or do certain things. An example of this is how KG can get in Baby's face and ream him out, but Baby can not do the same thing to KG, it would create chaos. It's like when Ray was having issues with Rondo and he basically told Rondo to shut up when he talked back.

Also it's obvious that Doc is just teaching Baby a lesson. He doesn't need to teach these vet guys a lesson like this because they are more aware of what they are doing than a young player in my opinion. I'm sure KG was going through the same growing pains as Baby earlier in his career and I don't think there is anything wrong with that

[CoachCowens]

Being a Doc apologist lets see if I can twist this into what Doc may have been thinking.

"You don’t get a tech in that situation. When you’re up 18 points, again, your team is struggling." - he's right. You just don't. For all the technicals I've seen Perk and Sheed pick up this year, I haven't seen them do it when the C's were up big unless it was a double technical for scuffling with someone. A tech in that situation is enormously stupid.

"You’re not [Kevin] Garnett or one of those guys. You don’t get the liberty to talk anyway to the officials." - perhaps what he is saying is not that he, Doc, has a double standard but that the officials do and that the officials, after spendiong years and years on the courts with these superstars and building relationships with them, will cut slack to a superstar like Kevin Garnett for saying something to them after picking up an out of character stupid foul but that a guy like Baby, who has a lot of stupid fouls and doesn't have that relationship with the refs, isn't afforded that slack.

"But I thought he was playing like the score and I just told him, he’s not at that point yet in his life where he can turn it on or off. And we need him to be an every-possession player. And I didn’t think he was that tonight." - he's right again. When you have been around and have learned the art of being a veteran and get the ability to coast in games a bit but then turn it back on, you can. Especially if you are or were a superstar. But only certain players are afforded that luxury and then only after they have proven themselves capable of being the type of player that can do it. 1.) Baby will never be that player because he just isn't good enough 2.) Even if he was, he hasn't earned that right in his third year and finally 3.) Bench players should never ever be that type of player because you have limited minutes.


That I think is a lot of the problem with Rasheed. He's taken the whole, coasting in games as a vet to conserve oneself to a whole different level and frankly, is setting a horrible example. Now, most Doc detractors will point to Rasheed and point out the hypocrisy of what Doc is doing here but Doc didn't sign Rasheed to a ridiculous 3 year $20 million contract. Rasheed did not get these irreversibly bad habits while playing under Doc. Doc has just been the guy stuck with Wallace and having to make the best out of a bad situation.

Doc may have been trying all year to coach Rasheed up and out of these habits. He did, after all, have one rather public outburst regarding a Wallace bad habit already. Doc may have been preaching to his young players all year that Rasheed's example of doing things is the wrong one. We don't know any of that but many people see the results and jump to conclusions that Doc is letting certain stuff happen or is okay with it when, quite frankly, the complete opposite could be true.



Anyway, that's a Doc supporters twist on the quote. I think it's as viable an explanation as any on what Doc may have been saying and what has been happening behind the scenes.

But why does Doc have to say all that to the media. He Benched him and talked to him. He doesn't have to get into it anymore than that.

I agree with most of what you said about Rasheed but Doc was fully on board with getting him and even helped. As did the big 3

[CelticG1]

Being a Doc apologist lets see if I can twist this into what Doc may have been thinking.

"You don’t get a tech in that situation. When you’re up 18 points, again, your team is struggling." - he's right. You just don't. For all the technicals I've seen Perk and Sheed pick up this year, I haven't seen them do it when the C's were up big unless it was a double technical for scuffling with someone. A tech in that situation is enormously stupid.

"You’re not [Kevin] Garnett or one of those guys. You don’t get the liberty to talk anyway to the officials." - perhaps what he is saying is not that he, Doc, has a double standard but that the officials do and that the officials, after spendiong years and years on the courts with these superstars and building relationships with them, will cut slack to a superstar like Kevin Garnett for saying something to them after picking up an out of character stupid foul but that a guy like Baby, who has a lot of stupid fouls and doesn't have that relationship with the refs, isn't afforded that slack.

"But I thought he was playing like the score and I just told him, he’s not at that point yet in his life where he can turn it on or off. And we need him to be an every-possession player. And I didn’t think he was that tonight." - he's right again. When you have been around and have learned the art of being a veteran and get the ability to coast in games a bit but then turn it back on, you can. Especially if you are or were a superstar. But only certain players are afforded that luxury and then only after they have proven themselves capable of being the type of player that can do it. 1.) Baby will never be that player because he just isn't good enough 2.) Even if he was, he hasn't earned that right in his third year and finally 3.) Bench players should never ever be that type of player because you have limited minutes.


That I think is a lot of the problem with Rasheed. He's taken the whole, coasting in games as a vet to conserve oneself to a whole different level and frankly, is setting a horrible example. Now, most Doc detractors will point to Rasheed and point out the hypocrisy of what Doc is doing here but Doc didn't sign Rasheed to a ridiculous 3 year $20 million contract. Rasheed did not get these irreversibly bad habits while playing under Doc. Doc has just been the guy stuck with Wallace and having to make the best out of a bad situation.

Doc may have been trying all year to coach Rasheed up and out of these habits. He did, after all, have one rather public outburst regarding a Wallace bad habit already. Doc may have been preaching to his young players all year that Rasheed's example of doing things is the wrong one. We don't know any of that but many people see the results and jump to conclusions that Doc is letting certain stuff happen or is okay with it when, quite frankly, the complete opposite could be true.



Anyway, that's a Doc supporters twist on the quote. I think it's as viable an explanation as any on what Doc may have been saying and what has been happening behind the scenes.

But why does Doc have to say all that to the media. He Benched him and talked to him. He doesn't have to get into it anymore than that.

I agree with most of what you said about Rasheed but Doc was fully on board with getting him and even helped. As did the big 3

Isn't he just answering reporter and journalists' questions? I figured people asked him "What happened with Glen Davis, why did you bench him" or something along those lines. So he can either lie, say that he isn't going to discuss it, or tell them what he said. I'm assuming that you would have wanted him to say that he isn't going to discuss it but I really do not think it was that big of a deal. If he's not going to talk about that then there are probably a lot of things that he wouldn't talk about with the media. I prefer to know what's going on with the team and player's as long as it doesn't affect their play. I'm sure Baby is more annoyed/upset by his play, Doc benching him, and probably getting yelled at more than he is about Doc explaining the incident.

[Chris]

Being a Doc apologist lets see if I can twist this into what Doc may have been thinking.

"You don’t get a tech in that situation. When you’re up 18 points, again, your team is struggling." - he's right. You just don't. For all the technicals I've seen Perk and Sheed pick up this year, I haven't seen them do it when the C's were up big unless it was a double technical for scuffling with someone. A tech in that situation is enormously stupid.

"You’re not [Kevin] Garnett or one of those guys. You don’t get the liberty to talk anyway to the officials." - perhaps what he is saying is not that he, Doc, has a double standard but that the officials do and that the officials, after spendiong years and years on the courts with these superstars and building relationships with them, will cut slack to a superstar like Kevin Garnett for saying something to them after picking up an out of character stupid foul but that a guy like Baby, who has a lot of stupid fouls and doesn't have that relationship with the refs, isn't afforded that slack.

"But I thought he was playing like the score and I just told him, he’s not at that point yet in his life where he can turn it on or off. And we need him to be an every-possession player. And I didn’t think he was that tonight." - he's right again. When you have been around and have learned the art of being a veteran and get the ability to coast in games a bit but then turn it back on, you can. Especially if you are or were a superstar. But only certain players are afforded that luxury and then only after they have proven themselves capable of being the type of player that can do it. 1.) Baby will never be that player because he just isn't good enough 2.) Even if he was, he hasn't earned that right in his third year and finally 3.) Bench players should never ever be that type of player because you have limited minutes.


That I think is a lot of the problem with Rasheed. He's taken the whole, coasting in games as a vet to conserve oneself to a whole different level and frankly, is setting a horrible example. Now, most Doc detractors will point to Rasheed and point out the hypocrisy of what Doc is doing here but Doc didn't sign Rasheed to a ridiculous 3 year $20 million contract. Rasheed did not get these irreversibly bad habits while playing under Doc. Doc has just been the guy stuck with Wallace and having to make the best out of a bad situation.

Doc may have been trying all year to coach Rasheed up and out of these habits. He did, after all, have one rather public outburst regarding a Wallace bad habit already. Doc may have been preaching to his young players all year that Rasheed's example of doing things is the wrong one. We don't know any of that but many people see the results and jump to conclusions that Doc is letting certain stuff happen or is okay with it when, quite frankly, the complete opposite could be true.



Anyway, that's a Doc supporters twist on the quote. I think it's as viable an explanation as any on what Doc may have been saying and what has been happening behind the scenes.

But why does Doc have to say all that to the media. He Benched him and talked to him. He doesn't have to get into it anymore than that.

To me the question is "why not?"  It's not like he threw him under the bus.  We all saw what happened.  Doc explained his thinking.  He does that all the time. 

I see absolutely no reason why he should NOT do that.  And the fact that I personally believe Davis will respond possitively to it is just a bonus.

[CoachCowens]

Being a Doc apologist lets see if I can twist this into what Doc may have been thinking.

"You don’t get a tech in that situation. When you’re up 18 points, again, your team is struggling." - he's right. You just don't. For all the technicals I've seen Perk and Sheed pick up this year, I haven't seen them do it when the C's were up big unless it was a double technical for scuffling with someone. A tech in that situation is enormously stupid.

"You’re not [Kevin] Garnett or one of those guys. You don’t get the liberty to talk anyway to the officials." - perhaps what he is saying is not that he, Doc, has a double standard but that the officials do and that the officials, after spendiong years and years on the courts with these superstars and building relationships with them, will cut slack to a superstar like Kevin Garnett for saying something to them after picking up an out of character stupid foul but that a guy like Baby, who has a lot of stupid fouls and doesn't have that relationship with the refs, isn't afforded that slack.

"But I thought he was playing like the score and I just told him, he’s not at that point yet in his life where he can turn it on or off. And we need him to be an every-possession player. And I didn’t think he was that tonight." - he's right again. When you have been around and have learned the art of being a veteran and get the ability to coast in games a bit but then turn it back on, you can. Especially if you are or were a superstar. But only certain players are afforded that luxury and then only after they have proven themselves capable of being the type of player that can do it. 1.) Baby will never be that player because he just isn't good enough 2.) Even if he was, he hasn't earned that right in his third year and finally 3.) Bench players should never ever be that type of player because you have limited minutes.


That I think is a lot of the problem with Rasheed. He's taken the whole, coasting in games as a vet to conserve oneself to a whole different level and frankly, is setting a horrible example. Now, most Doc detractors will point to Rasheed and point out the hypocrisy of what Doc is doing here but Doc didn't sign Rasheed to a ridiculous 3 year $20 million contract. Rasheed did not get these irreversibly bad habits while playing under Doc. Doc has just been the guy stuck with Wallace and having to make the best out of a bad situation.

Doc may have been trying all year to coach Rasheed up and out of these habits. He did, after all, have one rather public outburst regarding a Wallace bad habit already. Doc may have been preaching to his young players all year that Rasheed's example of doing things is the wrong one. We don't know any of that but many people see the results and jump to conclusions that Doc is letting certain stuff happen or is okay with it when, quite frankly, the complete opposite could be true.



Anyway, that's a Doc supporters twist on the quote. I think it's as viable an explanation as any on what Doc may have been saying and what has been happening behind the scenes.

But why does Doc have to say all that to the media. He Benched him and talked to him. He doesn't have to get into it anymore than that.

I agree with most of what you said about Rasheed but Doc was fully on board with getting him and even helped. As did the big 3

Isn't he just answering reporter and journalists' questions? I figured people asked him "What happened with Glen Davis, why did you bench him" or something along those lines. So he can either lie, say that he isn't going to discuss it, or tell them what he said. I'm assuming that you would have wanted him to say that he isn't going to discuss it but I really do not think it was that big of a deal. If he's not going to talk about that then there are probably a lot of things that he wouldn't talk about with the media. I prefer to know what's going on with the team and player's as long as it doesn't affect their play. I'm sure Baby is more annoyed/upset by his play, Doc benching him, and probably getting yelled at more than he is about Doc explaining the incident.

As a fan I want to hear his explanation. As a coach he doesn't have to get into it.  Not many coaches talk about disciplinary actions to that level for good reason. It doesn't help and you run the risk of losing your players respect.

For a bad real world example: If you screwed up at work and your boss got on you for it then proceeded to talk about it to everyone else is that helping the situation or just piling on unnecessarily. Would you respect your boss for doing that?

[Potapenko Boxout]

I just get the feeling that what we've seen/heard is only 15% of why the organization is annoyed with Glen Davis. I have little to back this claim up so obviously don't put any thought into it. I agree with how mad Doc got on that play because it was honestly embarrassing to watch as a Celtics fan.

and again i repeat, what does Shelden Williams need to do, aside from play well, to get playing time?

[nickagneta]

I just get the feeling that what we've seen/heard is only 15% of why the organization is annoyed with Glen Davis. I have little to back this claim up so obviously don't put any thought into it. I agree with how mad Doc got on that play because it was honestly embarrassing to watch as a Celtics fan.

and again i repeat, what does Shelden Williams need to do, aside from play well, to get playing time?

Become a better player tham Glen Davis, which, IMO and apparently in the opinion of the Celtics' coaches and management, he isn't.

[CelticG1]

Being a Doc apologist lets see if I can twist this into what Doc may have been thinking.

"You don’t get a tech in that situation. When you’re up 18 points, again, your team is struggling." - he's right. You just don't. For all the technicals I've seen Perk and Sheed pick up this year, I haven't seen them do it when the C's were up big unless it was a double technical for scuffling with someone. A tech in that situation is enormously stupid.

"You’re not [Kevin] Garnett or one of those guys. You don’t get the liberty to talk anyway to the officials." - perhaps what he is saying is not that he, Doc, has a double standard but that the officials do and that the officials, after spendiong years and years on the courts with these superstars and building relationships with them, will cut slack to a superstar like Kevin Garnett for saying something to them after picking up an out of character stupid foul but that a guy like Baby, who has a lot of stupid fouls and doesn't have that relationship with the refs, isn't afforded that slack.

"But I thought he was playing like the score and I just told him, he’s not at that point yet in his life where he can turn it on or off. And we need him to be an every-possession player. And I didn’t think he was that tonight." - he's right again. When you have been around and have learned the art of being a veteran and get the ability to coast in games a bit but then turn it back on, you can. Especially if you are or were a superstar. But only certain players are afforded that luxury and then only after they have proven themselves capable of being the type of player that can do it. 1.) Baby will never be that player because he just isn't good enough 2.) Even if he was, he hasn't earned that right in his third year and finally 3.) Bench players should never ever be that type of player because you have limited minutes.


That I think is a lot of the problem with Rasheed. He's taken the whole, coasting in games as a vet to conserve oneself to a whole different level and frankly, is setting a horrible example. Now, most Doc detractors will point to Rasheed and point out the hypocrisy of what Doc is doing here but Doc didn't sign Rasheed to a ridiculous 3 year $20 million contract. Rasheed did not get these irreversibly bad habits while playing under Doc. Doc has just been the guy stuck with Wallace and having to make the best out of a bad situation.

Doc may have been trying all year to coach Rasheed up and out of these habits. He did, after all, have one rather public outburst regarding a Wallace bad habit already. Doc may have been preaching to his young players all year that Rasheed's example of doing things is the wrong one. We don't know any of that but many people see the results and jump to conclusions that Doc is letting certain stuff happen or is okay with it when, quite frankly, the complete opposite could be true.



Anyway, that's a Doc supporters twist on the quote. I think it's as viable an explanation as any on what Doc may have been saying and what has been happening behind the scenes.

But why does Doc have to say all that to the media. He Benched him and talked to him. He doesn't have to get into it anymore than that.

I agree with most of what you said about Rasheed but Doc was fully on board with getting him and even helped. As did the big 3

Isn't he just answering reporter and journalists' questions? I figured people asked him "What happened with Glen Davis, why did you bench him" or something along those lines. So he can either lie, say that he isn't going to discuss it, or tell them what he said. I'm assuming that you would have wanted him to say that he isn't going to discuss it but I really do not think it was that big of a deal. If he's not going to talk about that then there are probably a lot of things that he wouldn't talk about with the media. I prefer to know what's going on with the team and player's as long as it doesn't affect their play. I'm sure Baby is more annoyed/upset by his play, Doc benching him, and probably getting yelled at more than he is about Doc explaining the incident.

As a fan I want to hear his explanation. As a coach he doesn't have to get into it.  Not many coaches talk about disciplinary actions to that level for good reason. It doesn't help and you run the risk of losing your players respect.

For a bad real world example: If you screwed up at work and your boss got on you for it then proceeded to talk about it to everyone else is that helping the situation or just piling on unnecessarily. Would you respect your boss for doing that?

If a coach isn't going to get into something as miniscule as this than he would have to keep his mouth shut a lot. Doc has a ton of respect from his players (im sure baby respects him), veteran players, coaches and people around the league. If he loses respect from Baby because of this than I think it is something wrong with Baby not Doc.

As for the bad real world example they are just too different a situation to really compare them at all IMO.

[KungPoweChicken]

The reason why Doc never calls out Pierce, Allen, KG, Wallace, etc, is because those guys are all "above the coach." No one likes to hear it, and I don't even like to say it, but it is true. It is the way of the NBA.

Everyone plays favorites, even on the high school level. The only difference between high school, college, and the pros is that preferential treatment in the former two is usually based on skills, whereas the latter is based on a player's salary.

[EJPLAYA]

The reason why Doc never calls out Pierce, Allen, KG, Wallace, etc, is because those guys are all "above the coach." No one likes to hear it, and I don't even like to say it, but it is true. It is the way of the NBA.

Everyone plays favorites, even on the high school level. The only difference between high school, college, and the pros is that preferential treatment in the former two is usually based on skills, whereas the latter is based on a player's salary.

Often the case, yes. I would include Rondo in that group as well. Doc could rip him to shreds at times for games where he plays sloppy defense or doesn't bring it. He gets a pass as well.

In your example though (and including Rondo) there isn't a player on the Celtics that has more talent than those 5. If one of them were less talented then there is an argument there, but all 5 of those guys are by far our most skilled players and so should get the pass.

[EJPLAYA]

I just get the feeling that what we've seen/heard is only 15% of why the organization is annoyed with Glen Davis. I have little to back this claim up so obviously don't put any thought into it. I agree with how mad Doc got on that play because it was honestly embarrassing to watch as a Celtics fan.

and again i repeat, what does Shelden Williams need to do, aside from play well, to get playing time?

Become a better player tham Glen Davis, which, IMO and apparently in the opinion of the Celtics' coaches and management, he isn't.

You're obviously right that Doc does not feel he is better, but the stats sure don't support the argument. I know the stereotypes and scouting report will say that BBD is by far the better player, and there is no debate that he should be, however every time that Shelden takes the floor I wonder why people think the gap is so big. Hubie Brown the other night sure thought he deserved more time. I wonder why, with all BBD's issues, Doc doesn't sit him and make him earn his time back. I think he would do it, but the result would be a more efficient BBD.