Tom Thibodeau or Doc

[44Thrilla]

After I read the post on the home page about the possibility of TT getting hired by another team, I was imagining how much that would really suck if that happened. So I was thinking about who I would rather keep if I had to choose, and it's really difficult. I like Doc a lot as our coach, but IMO the team defense Thibodeau has put in place is the biggest reason we won last year, and I think that is what separates us from other teams that are close to us in talent level.

I know Doc never got a chance at putting in place a defensive system for veteran players, but based on the few years of horrendous defense the team played before Thibodeau arrived, I just don't think that is his strong point. I wasn't a big fan of Tony Brown, who he chose to run it his first few years, and I'm scared that we will get somebody equally as horrible if we did lose TT.

Therefore, I think I would choose to keep Thibodeau. The players seem to really like him, and I think he would do well as a head coach if given the shot.

[amenhotep04]

What about 'none of the above'?

What Doc needs is an offensive coach of the caliber of what Coach T. is on defense - We'd never lose.

[Jon]

I'll take Doc at this point.  A year or two ago I'd probably sing a different tune, but at this point you have to figure that Doc and the players learned how to play defense from him already.  I mean what is Tom T. really doing at this point besides reinforcing the principles that Doc and the players already know.  Of course I'd like to have him stick around to help reinforce them, but I'm fairly certain that KG and Perk will do a pretty good job of reminding everyone to make their rotations if Tom is somewhere else next year. 

As for Doc, while he has his flaws, he has that K.C. Jones-like ability to keep a veteran team happy and focused.  At this stage of the game with our aging Big Three, that's very important. 

[Chief]

I voted Thibodeau as long as he keeps all the assistants. I like what I've seen in the couple of games where Doc has been thrown out. Ideally, Doc will retire to be with family and Thibodeau takes his place.

[xmuscularghandix]

thibs will be a good coach, but Doc is OUR coach. Clifford Ray is also a bid part of our success.

[Drucci]

I think that Thibodeau's departure would be a big loss for the team's defense but Doc is a really good coach in the sense that he is close to his players, he knows them well, respects them and so do they with him, ala Popovich with Duncan and the Spurs. This kind of relationship is really important for championship teams because everybody is on the same page thanks to the coach.

In my opinion Thibodeau and Doc are great together but would miss the other if they were separated so I say : keep them both!

But if I really had to chose, I'd rather keep Doc.

[Change]

Are you trying to start a rift? I take both. Doc as the COACH and Tom as the defensive GENIUS. Also don't forget the other assistants. I take them all.

[cordobes]

Huh? Has Thibodeau ever showed he can coach a NBA team? I'd rather keep him, but Houston didn't stop being a good defensive team once he left.

A rookie head-coach over a NBA Champion head-coach? Even as speculation, it's truly bizarre.

[SShorefan 4.0]

Thibodeau's stock was never any higher than it was last year and no team was interested.  There's a reason why some are assistants and others are head coaches. 

I am not saying TT doesn't have what it takes, but I am saying that I was shocked that there was virtually no interest in him last year; there has to be a reason.

I'll take both.

[Neurotic Guy]

I'll take Doc at this point.  A year or two ago I'd probably sing a different tune, but at this point you have to figure that Doc and the players learned how to play defense from him already.  I mean what is Tom T. really doing at this point besides reinforcing the principles that Doc and the players already know.  Of course I'd like to have him stick around to help reinforce them, but I'm fairly certain that KG and Perk will do a pretty good job of reminding everyone to make their rotations if Tom is somewhere else next year. 

As for Doc, while he has his flaws, he has that K.C. Jones-like ability to keep a veteran team happy and focused.  At this stage of the game with our aging Big Three, that's very important. 

First, there is no question -- at least not in my view -- that Doc has proven himself worthy.  Anyone who has yet to admit they were incorrect about his coaching capacity is simply too stubborn to take seriously at this point.  Doc impresses me more and more as time goes on -- and as I said back in the days of Doc-bashing, Doc Rivers seems to be an intelligent, driven and open guy who continues to grow and learn as a coach. 

As far as the KC Jones comparison goes, I'll grant you that Doc's ability to work with veterans provides some basis for similarity, however, the image that I saw from KC -- a low key 'manager' -- is nowhere near the image of 'coach' that I see in Doc.  Doc Rivers seems to combine great interpersonal/people management skill with high energy coaching for a rather disparate group of players (a true mix of young and 'old'). In my opinion, he provides far more than KC provided to the Bird-led Celtics (though it may indeed be more than KC needed to provide).

[moiso]

Doc of course.  He has proven he's a good coach.  The players are loyal to him, and players from other teams want to play for him.  He has a great working relationship with Ainge.  We really don't know what kind of coach TT would be.  He could be like a Vany Gundy or he could be like Mike Fratello or Kevin Oneil.  And do we even know anything about his offensive knowlege?  All we hear is about his defensive system.  That's half of the game.  Big guys are half of the game too, yet nobody is calling for Clifford Ray to be a head coach.

[Scalablob990]

Thibs in a heartbeat.

[Roy Hobbs]

Doc of course.  He has proven he's a good coach [for this team].  The players are loyal to him . . .  He has a great working relationship with Ainge.  We really don't know what kind of coach TT would be. 

I agree with the above.

[TrueGreen]

I think that Thibodeau's departure would be a big loss for the team's defense but Doc is a really good coach in the sense that he is close to his players, he knows them well, respects them and so do they with him, ala Popovich with Duncan and the Spurs. This kind of relationship is really important for championship teams because everybody is on the same page thanks to the coach.

In my opinion Thibodeau and Doc are great together but would miss the other if they were separated so I say : keep them both!

But if I really had to chose, I'd rather keep Doc.

You state my opinion better than I could. Leaving out names, I think that what is important is that there needs to be a chemistry between the coaches, a chemistry between the players and a chemistry between the coaching staff and players. You could also include the GM and Ownership in the chemistry lab. This is exactly what we have with the Celtics. The chemistry is perfect. My vote is to leave everything just like it is for infinity.

[bstnsportsfan3]

Thibs is a great Defensive mind, but i say keep both. Doc has done a great job the last two years and this job is his untill the product shows otherwise.