Doc: Don't expect Celts to flip the switch

[Roy H.]

Well, this is encouraging:

When Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers suggests that he doesn't think his team is capable of flipping a postseason switch again this season, it's because he doesn't think people quite understand what his team did a year ago.

Battered by in-season injuries, the Celtics' only hope last season was to shut down their stars and cross their fingers that they'd be healthy enough by the time games mattered to make a run. So long before April even arrived, Rivers and his staff sat down and mapped out a plan of attack.

The Celtics would practice on game days or hold extended shootarounds. They did their work when the television cameras weren't around and under the cloak of darkness at their practice facility in Waltham. Then they'd go through the motions on game nights, which led to a 27-27 record over the final 54 games of the regular season and Boston earning the No. 4 seed in the East.

This season there's none of that. And on the heels of Sunday's 100-77 throttling by the Miami Heat -- Boston's second loss to a top Eastern Conference foe in four days and a defeat that will likely force the Celtics to settle for the No. 3 seed -- Rivers admitted he can't be as confident in his team's ability to go deep in the playoffs because there is no master plan.

At least not yet. Now, there are only questions.

. . . "Last year we had a plan. We knew exactly what we were doing," Rivers said. "You should have seen it. Practicing, then not playing Kevin. Or telling guys you're only playing 10 minutes tonight. We charted it out for them, 20 games left in the season. This is a totally different thing.

"Honestly, we've got to keep working on it and it's my job to figure it out."

Ugh.    Let's hope that Doc has some tricks up his sleeve, and can indeed figure out what's ailing this team.  One thing is clear:  this year isn't last year.

[JSD]

Will Roy H. be the happy if the Celtics get knocked out it early in the playoffs this season? It's becoming a real question to me. 

I'll chalk this up to Doc playing "Phil like" head games.

[Roy H.]

Will Roy H. be the happy if the Celtics get knocked out it early in the playoffs this season? It's becoming a real question to me. 

I'll chalk this up to Doc playing "Phil like" head games.

No, I won't be happy at all. 

I don't know, maybe I'm crazy to be concerned when the coach says that the team lacks an identity with 4 games left, and says that the team is broken and he doesn't know how to fix it. 

[CelticG1]

When were those guys playing 10 minutes a night?

[CelticG1]

Also if the Celtics go to the finals or win it what will Doc say next year? That he is completely shocked that we did well?

It's easy to look back on last season and say those things now but if we didn't go so far do you think Doc would come out and say that their plan was an epic fail? Or do you think there would be another reason.

[ejk3489]

When were those guys playing 10 minutes a night?

Exactly. I saw this article posted by someone on the front page, and I was very confused. The starters rarely played less the 30 minutes a night those last 10-15 games, and really only KG got rest from time to time. Ray and Pierce both averaged the same amount of minutes as they did all season, and Rondo was continuously putting up 37, 38, 40 minutes a game.

I don't know, I'm pretty skepitcal that there was actually a plan last year. With KG, yeah I can buy it, but not with anyone else.

[Kiorrik]

Will Roy H. be the happy if the Celtics get knocked out it early in the playoffs this season? It's becoming a real question to me. 

I'll chalk this up to Doc playing "Phil like" head games.

... are you seriously questioning the faith of someone who spends most of his spare time on a blog about the Celtics ... in the most ungrateful job in the world? :p Mods get flak for everything, spat at, etc. Nah, he won't be happy. He'll be sad, just like all of us.

And yes, I did realize there was a winking smiley in that post :p Still, wanted that said.

Ontopic: this is crazy. I love how they "mapped it out" last year, that perfectly. Shows once more how awesome of a coaching staff we have.

I honestly believe, that (if anyone) it will be Doc Rivers who finds a solution to the current issues. He's been 44 kinds of awesome for us since the big 3. I'm not high on drinking too much of the green stuff -hence my current reluctance to join conversations on the blog/forums- but man, if anyone...

Pull through Doc. Help us get that banner.

I WANT number 18.

THIS year.

[GreenEnvy]

This is total BS by Doc. I have no doubt he is doing this to stay under the radar. Many are still expecting the C's to turn it up once the playoffs start (as I expect the Fakers to as well).

Because even if he truly believes it, why state it publicly? And just because his practices and rotations are different, how can he gauge the players real effort?

[Adelaide Celt]

Doc told them they were going to play 10 minutes..... But they ended up insisting on 30!

[Chief]

I expect Shaq to flip the switch. If he can come back and stay healthy, I think you'll see the team look a lot like the 21-5 team that opened the season. If he gets hurt again, we could be out quick.

[Drucci]

I would be really curious to see Doc and the players' quotes from last year at the same time. I can't recall exactly what they said but it was pretty much the same stuff except they obviouly couldn't refer to the previous year and to the switch but it was in the same tone.

I'm not giving any substance to Doc or any player's quote in that regard. They can't say publicly "yes this is exactly like last year, we are tanking the end of the season and expecting to turn the switch on for the playoffs", it would be a big "eff you" to the fans. To me these quotes have no meaning, exactly like Danny Ainge when he is saying around the trade deadline or the draft that he will stay put and not make any moves.

[pearljammer10]

Isnt it a little late in the season to be coming up with a plan now??....

[aporel#18]

I would be really curious to see Doc and the players' quotes from last year at the same time. I can't recall exactly what they said but it was pretty much the same stuff except they obviouly couldn't refer to the previous year and to the switch but it was in the same tone.

I'm not giving any substance to Doc or any player's quote in that regard. They can't say publicly "yes this is exactly like last year, we are tanking the end of the season and expecting to turn the switch on for the playoffs", it would be a big "eff you" to the fans. To me these quotes have no meaning, exactly like Danny Ainge when he is saying around the trade deadline or the draft that he will stay put and not make any moves.

co-sign. Doc isn't telling the truth, and he is playing JO 12 minutes this year. Last year they weren't saving anyone, and KG looked great in the last games of the RS. It was after the Orlando battle that his legs were not the same.

Doc, do whatever you need to get #18.

Go Celtics!!!

[LarBrd33]

Alright... you convinced me, Roy.  I give up.  It's borderline moronic to put hope in some overweight 39 year old to turn this team around.  We're toast.  Not even sure if I'll watch the Knicks series... it's going to be depressing to watch us get knocked around by those scrubs. 

It's over.  Here's looking towards 2012.  KG and Ray are gone... Doc's going to win championships as the Heat coach...  Jeff Green is trade fodder... we'll pick up the pieces after the lockout and build around a flawed borderline allstar with attitude problems named Rajon Rondo.  2012 is going to make the Pierce/Walker Celtics look like heaven.

Danny Ainge is a gambling addict who lucked out in 2008... then put all his winnings on Jeff Green and destroyed a franchise.  Maybe the team will get sold and move to Seattle.  I think we should all just consider being Laker fans.  If you can't beat em... join em.  Is it possible to change my screenname to MagJhsn32 ?

[Roy H.]

Alright... you convinced me, Roy.  I give up.  It's borderline moronic to put hope in some overweight 39 year old to turn this team around.  We're toast.  Not even sure if I'll watch the Knicks series... it's going to be depressing to watch us get knocked around by those scrubs. 

It's over.  Here's looking towards 2012.  KG and Ray are gone... Doc's going to win championships as the Heat coach...  Jeff Green is trade fodder... we'll pick up the pieces after the lockout and build around a flawed borderline allstar with attitude problems named Rajon Rondo.  2012 is going to make the Pierce/Walker Celtics look like heaven.

Danny Ainge is a gambling addict who lucked out in 2008... then put all his winnings on Jeff Green and destroyed a franchise.  Maybe the team will get sold and move to Seattle.  I think we should all just consider being Laker fans.  If you can't beat em... join em.  Is it possible to change my screenname to MagJhsn32 ?

Haha.  Now that the world has returned to normal on CelticsBlog, maybe it can in the Celtics lockerroom.