Doc Has Got To Go!!!

[Aaron]

To put it simply, as long as we're a veteran team, Doc is our guy. 

Absolutely one of the best with handling veteran and star players.

If we blow it up in a two years and start a youth movement, well, Doc probably isn't the right man for the job (and probably wouldn't want to stick around for it regardless).

Until then, Doc Has Got To Stay!!!

[FatjohnReturns]

To put it simply, as long as we're a veteran team, Doc is our guy. 

Absolutely one of the best with handling veteran and star players.

If we blow it up in a two years and start a youth movement, well, Doc probably isn't the right man for the job (and probably wouldn't want to stick around for it regardless).

Until then, Doc Has Got To Stay!!!

Yikes
"Absolutely one of the best with handling veteran and star players"

How do you quantify this?
What I see is Doc avoiding coaching decisions that may upset some veteran and star players.

[ScoobyDoo]

If it's on the players and not Doc....isn't Doc responsible for the players output and performance.

Isn't saying it's not on Doc equivalent to saying that a sales manager isn't responsible for the salespeople's sales numbers?

Lack of sales would be the sales people entier fault.

Doc has an A-list roster, one of the best in the league. We have ahd injuries, but to me, it seems that we've lost alot of our games due to a "whatever" attitude coming from Doc, which also affects the players. Whatever attitude because if I had starter playign like they are on certain nights I might bench them indefinately. I do not care if they are Michael Jordan.

And the rotations..Doc isn't solely resonsible but he's wearing the crown and thereofre wears the most responsiblity for the perfoance of the team and the results acheived.  

[Prof. Clutch]

Doc ain't perfect but he's done a pretty great job for us for a few years now.  I wouldn't put the blame on Doc for this teams struggles.  Questionable rotations?  Sometimes.  Not always doing the best job at adjusting to what's happening on the court?  Yeah, occassionally.  But he's had a great track record of getting guys to play in a selfless, professional way.  I can't imagine that it's anything Doc's doing now that has changed that, or some kind of problem with X's and O's.  I think the players have to take it upon themselves to have that swagger, Doc can preach it, but they have to play with it.  When Doc has truly "lost" the team it will be much worse than it currently is in my opinion.

[Prof. Clutch]

Also, does anyone here really think that if Doc was fired tomorrow we'd have a better chance at winning the championship?  Does anyone really think the repercussions of firing our coach with 20 games left before the playoffs would be a good thing?  I think the players love Doc and would be upset.  I don't think it would light a fire under their butts.  And what coach that is currently available could lead this team to a championship with 20 games left?

It sets us back more than it helps us IMHO.

[2short]

Doc ain't perfect but he's done a pretty great job for us for a few years now.  I wouldn't put the blame on Doc for this teams struggles.  Questionable rotations?  Sometimes.  Not always doing the best job at adjusting to what's happening on the court?  Yeah, occassionally.  But he's had a great track record of getting guys to play in a selfless, professional way.  I can't imagine that it's anything Doc's doing now that has changed that, or some kind of problem with X's and O's.  I think the players have to take it upon themselves to have that swagger, Doc can preach it, but they have to play with it.  When Doc has truly "lost" the team it will be much worse than it currently is in my opinion.

agree, i've knocked doc since he initially arrived but he is the sort of coach to get the vets together, you couldn't bring in skiles or (laker  ) byron scott to run them into the ground because the vets wouldn't respond well

[Celts17Pride]

If it's on the players and not Doc....isn't Doc responsible for the players output and performance.  

Not if the players are not capable. Age and injury have changed the output of Pierce, Ray and KG. It's a very fair question to ask will they ever play at the 2007/2008 level again? So far they haven't proved that they can.

[barefacedmonk]

If Tommy Heinsohn was the coach, which player do you think will end up with the most number of TPs?

[BballTim]

Doc has an A-list roster, one of the best in the league. We have ahd injuries, but to me, it seems that we've lost alot of our games due to a "whatever" attitude coming from Doc, which also affects the players. Whatever attitude because if I had starter playign like they are on certain nights I might bench them indefinately. I do not care if they are Michael Jordan.

  Doc's not a perfect coach but he's coaching for the playoffs as much as he is for the regular season. He's been letting the opposing  runs go for a while without calling a timeout or subbing because he wants the players to figure out how to buckle down and stop those runs on their own.

[PLamb]

Do you know what is truly hilarious about people wanting Doc replaced?

Within 40 games of taking the reins as new head coach, whoever that person is, the same group of people complaining about Doc will be complaining about why the new coach isn't:

1.) Calling better plays after timeouts and to end games
2.) Isn't keeping certain players happy
3.) Isn't giving player x more time
4.) Is playing player y so much
5.) Isn't starting player a instead of player b
6.) Didn't play player c in a certain situation instead of player d
7.) Is playing the young players so much and costing us games
8.) Is playing the vets so much and not developing the young players
9.) Doesn't have the team prepared for every game
10.) Can't motivate the team


And then, they will be calling for that coach to be replaced

Watch, I'm not wrong

[barefacedmonk]

Do you know what is truly hilarious about people wanting Doc replaced?

Within 40 games of taking the reins as new head coach, whoever that person is, the same group of people complaining about Doc will be complaining about why the new coach isn't:

1.) Calling better plays after timeouts and to end games
2.) Isn't keeping certain players happy
3.) Isn't giving player x more time
4.) Is playing player y so much
5.) Isn't starting player a instead of player b
6.) Didn't play player c in a certain situation instead of player d
7.) Is playing the young players so much and costing us games
8.) Is playing the vets so much and not developing the young players
9.) Does have the team prepared for every game
10.) Can motivate the team


And then, they will be calling for that coach to be replaced

Watch, I'm not wrong

That is so true. TP.

[Donoghus]

You replace Doc now, this season is done.  D-O-N-E.  You can forget about a deep run in the playoffs or prospects of a championship. 

With a veteran-ladden, aging group that could very well be at the end of their line, do you really want to junk the current season?

[ScoobyDoo]

I don't necessarily want Doc gone, I actually like him in alot of ways. My problem with him is that it's hard to watch our team get punched in the nose, when possibly better rotations would help prevent taking it on the chin.

Why would you leave a group in that sucks that night? Why would you leave Perk on Bogut when Bogut keeps anihilating him. Why not try at least something else.

I understand the concept of letting the players work through runs the other teams are making to a certian extent.

But I think one of the most important jobs of a coach is knwoing how to adjust and mix and match players and to make adjustments that put your team in the best situation to win.

If Pierce is really stinking up the joint like last night, might if have been worth a shot of putting Ray at the 3 with TA at the two to hassle Salmons? Or maybe trying KG on Bogut?

I mean Doc has alot of talent to mix and match. I just am constantly baffled by what seem to me to be downright "head scratching match ups and it's not once in a while, it's often.

Also, I understand Doc coachign for the playoffs. But wouldn't coaching to get wins and having those wins build swagger and confidence which would give you more mental teeth heading into the playoffs, also a decent approach.

I'd be less concerned about cute experimentation right now and more concerned with getting win after win after win and establishing some dominance.

We already know where Finley will fit in; behind Quisy and TA and where needed. make it easy on Finley, let him work out and learn for the next 5-10 games. Keep TA and Quisy regular and when one or them is struggling at off or SF, try Finley. It's not complicated.

Doc has a very annoying habit of making it seem like players have retired, particualrly after they have played really well. I wonder if that affects their ability to perform by affecting their confidence level?      

[ScoobyDoo]

I do think it would be a mistake to let Doc go now, that's not a good move mid season when you are a legit playoff contender. I just would like to see better player management and for him to light an absolute fire under these guys' butts.

I'd like to see some bodies flying around out there and some intensity. We have seemed lackadaisical all season. I see it as the coach's job to stop that but whatever means necessary. I don't think everything should be "all good" in Mr. Robinson's neighborhood right now.

The coach should be very angry and the players should be very uncomfortable around him until they start really performing.

if Pierce can't score he should go try to get in a fist fight under the boards for rebounds, do something that helps the team win games.   

[FatjohnReturns]

People on this site, heck people that have posted in this thread, have been calling for Doc's ouster for years

I remember reading people calling for Doc to be fired in the middle of the Atlanta series in 2008

And the Cleveland series

And after  an 18 game losing streak

And just before KG's injury last year

And now

Doc isn't going anywhere because Danny is loyal to Doc and believes in what he is doing, his system, and his ability to handle the players and develop them

Coaching in the NBA, and professional sports in general, so often is judged by fans as in game moves when that is probably the least import part of what they do or how front office personnel judge them

Doc isn't going to be fired for his in game moves people so you might as well come to grips with it

Many of Doc's detractors have never thought he was a great game manager.  His rotations have always been puzzling, and his use of timeouts is highly questionable.  His "Xs and Os" have generally been pretty good coming out of a timeout (at least in the past few seasons), but this year even that has been a bit of a weakness, as he's deferred much too much to isolation plays (usually for Paul Pierce).

What Doc has been is a good player manager.  He's managed a lot of different egos, and kept players playing hard.  However, at this point, I think it's fair to question whether he's succeeding in this regard.  He said before the season that the team had problems with ubuntu last year.  This year, there has been more of the same, at least according to players that have spoken with the media.  Additionally, multiple players have said the team is bored, unmotivated, etc.  Because of this, we're losing games that we shouldn't, which is affecting our playoff season, and by extension, our ability to win a championship.

Primarily, the lackadaisical play is the fault of the players.  However, isn't one of the jobs of a coach to get his team ready to play?  If the rotations, timeouts, and play-calling is going to be mediocre at best, you need somebody to rally the troops.  Right now, for whatever reason, that isn't Doc.

Hopefully, things turn around in the playoffs, but thus far, this has been a disappointing season for our coach.

great analysis. tp