Stephen A. Smith Claim: Doc retiring

[aefgogreen]

Yes, he has his flaws, but he's an important part of Celtics history.  When we acquired Garnett and Allen, he realized the urgency to win soon.  He kept the team focused even when they got down in Game 4. The comeback ultimately lead to victory over our beloved Lakers. 2010 was tough, but I thought he coached well in the Finals.  In that playoffs, he also headed a team that took down Lebron and got up 3-0 on the Magic despite not having home court advantage. He's frustrating at times, but I'm grateful for his time in Boston.

[slamtheking]

Yes, he has his flaws, but he's an important part of Celtics history.  When we acquired Garnett and Allen, he realized the urgency to win soon.  He kept the team focused even when they got down in Game 4. The comeback ultimately lead to victory over our beloved Lakers. 2010 was tough, but I thought he coached well in the Finals.  In that playoffs, he also headed a team that took down Lebron and got up 3-0 on the Magic despite not having home court advantage. He's frustrating at times, but I'm grateful for his time in Boston.

that's the last thing I'd call the Lakers.

[Roy H.]

Doc was a good coach for the KG teams.  I'm not sure that he's been a particularly good coach elsewhere, but he got the guys on the same page here.

[Donoghus]

He was the right guy at the right time for the New Three group.  A little bad luck with the injuries but it was a successful run and he brought us our first world title since the Bird era.  He caught a lot of crap on these boards during those times.  A lot of it, unjustified in my opinion.  It was a bit of a rollercoaster ride at times but he was a good guy to have at the helm for that era.

[Jiri Welsch]

Glad we won in 2008. But never have been a fan of Doc the coach. Doc the man seems like a good dude.

[Redz]

I was just commenting the other day in another thread about how Doc looks completely disinterested.  He was a strange stopgap hire in Milwaukee.  An inconspicuous end to a really nice long career. 

I loved his time hear.  Having him, Belichick and Terry Francine all in Boston at the same time was great.

[Roy H.]

By the way, is the only source for this SAS's speculation?  If nothing else, Doc should negotiate a contract buyout.

[Celtics2021]

By the way, is the only source for this SAS's speculation?  If nothing else, Doc should negotiate a contract buyout.

I believe so, although some interpret this as more of SAS knowing something and accidentally letting it slip than his typical bloviating.

[ozgod]

Did I miss something? I don't see this news anywhere. That said, it's not hard to believe after the last few seasons he's had.

[Donoghus]

Did I miss something? I don't see this news anywhere. That said, it's not hard to believe after the last few seasons he's had.

Stephen A. Smith claimed on his radio show that Doc is retiring.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Met Doc in Vegas right before we traded for KG, nice guy but we won it that year in spite of Doc not because.

[Phantom255x]

Not to sound rude or derail this thread, but I'm honestly shocked MIL hasn't fired him already. They let the previous guy go after a 30-13 start but they decided "lets get Doc" and he's been terrible too. It's almost like they are fine keeping Doc and losing Giannis via trade at some point.

[SHAQATTACK]

Doc is a genius,  he scammed how many teams out of contracts and payout to leave ??and never won anybody a title after Boston


Doc played the owners for the biggest sports scam in history ??.he had them all fooled

[SHAQATTACK]

Doc built a king?s fortune without producing the goal . LOL. ??SO MANY FOOLS AND BELIEVERS .

HE SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAD ANOTHER COACHING JOB AFTER THE CLIPPERS . 

[bdm860]

I have a theory on Doc, based on my own experience in the corporate world.

Now he has certain qualities, I think he relates well to vets, gives his players a long enough leash, doesn't micromanage, etc. but his absolute best quality is that he is top-notch charmer/schmoozer. Dude can work a room, and this is why he has perpetually been employed.

And I don't say that in bad way, it's not a criticism, like he's two-faced, but it's definitely a skill that certain people have that allows them to constantly rise through the ranks or be heavily recruited elsewhere, a skill that helps them constantly out-achieve their own abilities.

Like he can meet with ownership, regale them with basketball stories and just enough high level strategy that everyone in the room will be convinced he's this great basketball mind/leader. He just charmed everybody.

Or he can meet with a GM (who actually knows the game), and quickly shift the blame for any shortcoming on to somebody else. Chris Paul struggles to get along with other players, Paul and/or Blake are injured,  Ben Simmons can't shoot, Embiid was injured Giannis was injured. Dame was injured, etc. Charms his way out of it.

I think if any of us (or any Doc haters, I know there's plenty across the NBA-universe) had dinner with the dude, we'd walk away thinking this guy's awesome. The man has charisma.

I also think George Karl was similar, Isiah Thomas, Steve Kerr too. Whereas guy's like Joe Mazzulla or Rick Carlisle, it takes another basketball mind to want to hire them.