Who's a better coach, Doc or CBS?

[manl_lui]

At the moment Doc Rivers hands down - 2x coach of the year, 1x NBA Champion, 2 NBA Finals Appearance and 3 NBA Conference Finals. He is as good as they come, and one of the best at drawing last minute plays.

The highlighted seems to be, for some reason, a common misconception around here. The 07-08 CotY went to Byron Scott...

right, my bad, that year it was Danny who won Exec of the year correct?

[kozlodoev]

At the moment Doc Rivers hands down - 2x coach of the year, 1x NBA Champion, 2 NBA Finals Appearance and 3 NBA Conference Finals. He is as good as they come, and one of the best at drawing last minute plays.

The highlighted seems to be, for some reason, a common misconception around here. The 07-08 CotY went to Byron Scott...

right, my bad, that year it was Danny who won Exec of the year correct?

Correct. Coach of the Year never seems to go to a team that has high expectations to start the season.

[JSD]

Confession time: What sparked this thought was reading a lot of posts praising Stevens's coaching (which is good) this morning and then seeing this Clippers highlight over at Deadspin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT8JmzPx4x0


Which really reminded me of Doc's stellar ability to draw up a great play out of a timeout. That's a really, really nice play being executed pretty much perfectly.

It helps to have experienced players that can actually execute plays like that.

[D.o.s.]

^ For sure.

Could this question be re-posed as:  Who has been watching and paying attention to the NBA (including what went on with other teams) over the last 15 years and who just became a fan in the last couple of season?

Because some of the comments indicate absolutely no awareness or appreciation of Doc's full coaching history or how it stacks up relative to his peers.

Stevens seems to me to have a lot of potential.  I like the vast majority of the style of basketball he preaches (which isn't really, all that different from what Doc preaches).  Maybe in 10 years we will be talking about how great of an NBA coach he turned out to be.  But please.  It's a little early.

You could also compare Doc's first season in Orlando to Stevens's first year here. I suggested that since it would seem to me to be one of the more valid methods of comparison.

The thread started because there's a lot of praise being heaped on the coaching change on this board, and it's interesting -- to me, if no one else -- to read the kinds of justifications that people give for their ways of thinking.

[SHAQATTACK]

Not a fair comparison.  One is old and other young .......one has been in and around NBA forever , know all the players, GMs , owners and coaches , and played many years as a starter .

Too totally different histories .   From two different eras .

When Stevens gets as many NBA years under his belt as Doc ....then can step back and compare a little.

I like both guys as people .   As a fan ...i enjoy Stevens brand of ball......just have to see if there is any success .

It's up to DA to find the talent for Stevens to coach

I wish he was better drafting .

[mmmmm]

^ For sure.

Could this question be re-posed as:  Who has been watching and paying attention to the NBA (including what went on with other teams) over the last 15 years and who just became a fan in the last couple of season?

Because some of the comments indicate absolutely no awareness or appreciation of Doc's full coaching history or how it stacks up relative to his peers.

Stevens seems to me to have a lot of potential.  I like the vast majority of the style of basketball he preaches (which isn't really, all that different from what Doc preaches).  Maybe in 10 years we will be talking about how great of an NBA coach he turned out to be.  But please.  It's a little early.

You could also compare Doc's first season in Orlando to Stevens's first year here. I suggested that since it would seem to me to be one of the more valid methods of comparison.

The thread started because there's a lot of praise being heaped on the coaching change on this board, and it's interesting -- to me, if no one else -- to read the kinds of justifications that people give for their ways of thinking.

Yeah, I concur - I guess that's my point.  Anybody who remembers what Doc started with on those Orlando teams should have an appreciation that he hasn't just been riding on the backs of great players.

[guava_wrench]

Stevens hasn't had the chance to coach enough in the NBA to be compared to Doc.

He hasn't had a chance to even have a success yet.  He is coaching a roster that lacks talent and there is only a short window to look at in terms of player development.

It is unfair to compare him with a championship level coach.

Agreed 100%. Too early. Stevens is not yet in Doc's league, but he seems like he will figure out NBA coaching.

The reality is that Stevens has had zero success so far. I am happy with him, but picking him over Doc would be picking Wiggins over Wade.

[guava_wrench]

At the moment Doc Rivers hands down - 2x coach of the year, 1x NBA Champion, 2 NBA Finals Appearance and 3 NBA Conference Finals. He is as good as they come, and one of the best at drawing last minute plays.

The highlighted seems to be, for some reason, a common misconception around here. The 07-08 CotY went to Byron Scott...

right, my bad, that year it was Danny who won Exec of the year correct?

Correct. Coach of the Year never seems to go to a team that has high expectations to start the season.

Coach of the Year often means you are getting canned soon because the team over-performed, but is still not a good team and will disappoint in upcoming seasons.

[vjcsmoke]

I would say that the situation is very different for each.  I feel that Doc was able to squeeze the most out of the veteran talent that he had and field a championship squad.  And that is a great accomplishment but you have to realize that he had a LOT more to work with talent-wise than Brad Stevens does.

I feel that Brad is the right coach at the right time for this team.  We are in a rebuilding mode and we have a lot of young guys.  Right now, Brad is having to do more with less.  But he is also a teacher, and will be able to work better to draw out the talent and develop the youngsters that we have.  With a coach like Doc whose job depended on going deep into the playoffs, he could not afford to develop young guys like Sully, KO, Smart, Young, etc.

Of course I expect Brad Stevens, given what he has to work with to get fewer wins.  But in time, I believe he can grow into a great coach for us, and the players that we do keep will have benefitted from the system that he teaches.  In any case it's an apples to oranges comparison so it's totally not fair.  I believe that Brad Stevens is the right coach for the Celtics at this time and the best for our current situation.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

I say Brad Stevens is...ANYONE could have coached and WON with the teams Doc had here.....KG ran the team anyway.....it was evident as in everytime KG was out, we lost. Brad plays all....tries new things.....and lets guys work in......Doc would only go with his stars....and man did he run them into the ground. He kept them out there late, even when we were up by 20...!

I disagree with that. didn't del harris fail to make the playoffs with the lakers with essentially the same team phil Jackson won a championship with.

anyway, this is silly. the answer is easily Doc. and i'm basing this on just the pros.

I think using my post is odd, and you got lost on the idea.....