Can we get some love for Doc Rivers?

[FallGuy]

Maligned for years, Doc once again proves himself the strategic, tactical and motivational superior of his counterpart on the other bench. I can remember half a dozen well-chosen timeouts that stemmed Cavs runs or refocused our guys. Except for the aberration of game three (and I think that was on the players), our adjustments were inevitably spot-on. He exploited the matchups that made fools of the experts, bringing down the mighty Cavs in six.

And in this season and series, where we saw Rondo emerge at the national level - even moreso than in last year's playoffs - Rivers deserves credit for managing Rondo's prickly personality, and transitioning the team from the big three to the little one.

It's all good tonight. In large part due to our excellent coach.

[jdpapa3]

Doc absolutely played Brown like a fiddle. One of the biggest coaching mismatches I can remember. (well, maybe the 08 finals  )

All of my problems with Doc in the regular season have been adjusted. He takes timeouts to stop runs, limits full sub exposure, and the offense is running through Rondo constantly. Rondo would probably be a problem for any other coach, but you can just tell he fully believes in Doc, and vice versa.

Credit to Thibs as well. Lebron's going to be seeing a wall of Celtics defenders on his way to the bathroom weeks after the series.

[Q_FBE]

Yeah.. I thought he should have been fired after those hideous home losses to the Nets, Grizz, and Wizzards. But, the Celtics did find the switch button and successfully replaced that Game 3 blown fuse to win three straight and kick all the Kings men out of the tournament. That is a good coaching job by the Docster.

[PosImpos]

It's not hard to out-coach one of the most overrated coaches in the league, but Doc has been great so far in this post-season.

I LOVED that timeout in Game 6 when he said, "I know you all want to win, but you've got to do it TOGETHER!"

[twinbree]

Credit to Thibs as well. Lebron's going to be seeing a wall of Celtics defenders on his way to the bathroom weeks after the series.

Just look at this defense. A thing of beauty.




Yeah Doc has been great in the ending weeks of the season and since the playoffs started. The minutes management and the rotation which are usually my problems with him have been good. The offense my other problem has also looked much better.

[BudweiserCeltic]

He's been overall quite good in the playoffs. Didn't like his rotation last night though, but other than that he's been quite good with his pep talks, game plans, time out usage, etc.

[orrzor]

Yea Doc is doing great, especially with all the chemistry issues and struggles this team had during the regular season. He could have easily lost the team but people managing is probably what he is best at, and he definitely needed it this season.

[Rida]

Absolutely, Doc deserves a Ton of credit, his rotations were spot on and the team really follows and respects his every word

[Drucci]

Doc's coaching in this series was probably his finest moment in the Big Three era!

[Roy Hobbs]

He's been overall quite good in the playoffs. Didn't like his rotation last night though, but other than that he's been quite good with his pep talks, game plans, time out usage, etc.

Ditto.

[thirstyboots18]

I love Doc.  I really do.  I thought all year that he was just trying to get his team healthy.  This season did wear me down, though, and for a while I questioned whether the players had stopped listening to him (the old "three years of listening to the coach rule").  I'm sorry for doubting you, Doc.  Late in the season I could see that the team chemistry was starting to gel again.  Doc, you did  a masterful job getting everyone on the same page again.  You and your coaching staff.  When you have five proven champions as starters, yet still in different stages of their development as players, and at different levels of health, and with the attending egos that must be present (but must be submerged) your job could not have been easy, but you have handled it.  Kudos.  From here on in it doesn't get easier.  But the reward is overwhelmingly huge and I have 100% faith in you and the team again.  I am sorry I doubted you, even for a second.  I hope we, as fans, can help the team over the last stretch....GO CELTS!