How is it that Doc Rivers came to be well-regarded as a coach?

[qrich]

Every other team had just as many injuries and in the end the Clippers BARELY beat a Warriors team missing its center and 2nd most important player.

What other top team had their starting backcourt miss 67 games?

They won the series, which is the bottom line.


You are quite lacking when it comes to basketball knowledge if you really believe that the Clippers didn't improve from Del Negro to Rivers. Really idiotic statement in itself.

[masonanddixon]

Thunder had Westbrook missing quite a few games.

Mavs had an assortment of injuries throughout the season

Grizzlies had Gasol missing like 40 games and Conley missed about 10.

Warriors had injuries as always.

Clippers realistically would have been in the 4-5 spot if all teams were healthy.

That said, barely beating a 6 seed in the first round is not impressive, and then losing to a struggling team in the conf semis is even less impressive.

[qrich]

Yeah, you really do lack a single iota of basketball knowledge.

4th-5th seed if all teams were healthy

You do realize that equates to Paul and JJ being healthy all year, and Dudley not having an anomaly of a year, playing through an injury, as well, right?

But what can you say to someone who thinks Del Negro is on the level of Rivers.

[masonanddixon]

Yeah, you really do lack a single iota of basketball knowledge.

4th-5th seed if all teams were healthy

You do realize that equates to Paul and JJ being healthy all year, and Dudley not having an anomaly of a year, playing through an injury, as well, right?

But what can you say to someone who thinks Del Negro is on the level of Rivers.

I guess Marco Gasol missing nearly the entire season, not to mention several other Grizzlies players means nothing to you.

And in the end, all it resulted in was BARELY making the 2nd round by beating an injured squad.

So basically Doc Rivers led your squad to where del Negro got your team with lesser talent and against tougher competition.

[wally_world]

reverse racism

This.

But he does have that tough edge, sorta like what Riley brought to the 90s Knicks. He's definitely more of an emotional/motivational leader kinda coach.

[miggyme1]

I guess Marco Gasol missing nearly the entire season, not to mention several other Grizzlies players means nothing to you.

And in the end, all it resulted in was BARELY making the 2nd round by beating an injured squad.

So basically Doc Rivers led your squad to where del Negro got your team with lesser talent and against tougher competition.

wtf are u talking bout?

clipps got eliminated in the first round in 2013 to the grizz. they beat the grizz in seven games in 12 then got SWEPT by the spurs in the second round...that spurs team eventually would lose 4 str8 to the thunder in the wcf.....

doc did a good job..it was just his first season in la...was u expecting him to go all the way to the finals his first year?

all this talk about injuries....who cares...westbrook got injured in the first round last year and the thunder still beat the rockets.

the warriors are a better team when they go small anyway..it was proven in the 2013 playoffs when they beat the nuggets without david lee or bogut....GOODNIGHT

[ImKobe]

He got a good reputation off that 2008 Playoff run with a stacked Celtics team (that ACTUALLY underachieved even that season, with two game 7s in the 1st 2 rounds), that core should have won more than 1 ring, they dropped the ball in 2012 when they were up 3 - 2 on Miami.

Rivers had Brandon Bass guarding Lebron CLOSE UP on the perimeter in a freaking Game 7, yes, Brandon got torched.

horrible at in-game adjustments. If his game plan doesn't work, team is screwed because he can't counter for shit. Thibs was the real genius behind the Celtics anyways.

[masonanddixon]

wtf are u talking bout?

clipps got eliminated in the first round in 2013 to the grizz. they beat the grizz in seven games in 12 then got SWEPT by the spurs in the second round...that spurs team eventually would lose 4 str8 to the thunder in the wcf.....

doc did a good job..it was just his first season in la...was u expecting him to go all the way to the finals his first year?

all this talk about injuries....who cares...westbrook got injured in the first round last year and the thunder still beat the rockets.

the warriors are a better team when they go small anyway..it was proven in the 2013 playoffs when they beat the nuggets without david lee or bogut....GOODNIGHT

OK so what you're saying is Doc the Great Rivers gets you two more wins in the 2nd round than del Negro, and against a team that barely escaped a 7 seed.

[KG215]

It was Thibs' doing that the Celtics became such a potent defensive force. It's not coincidental that the Clippers under Doc Rivers have been suffering on the defensive end without Thibs by his side.

Clippers 2013: 103.6 DRtg (8th), 94.6 opp PPG (4th), .443 opp FG% (9th)

Clippers 2014: 104.8 DRtg (9th), 101.0 opp PPG (14th), .441 opp FG% (5th)

For whatever reasons, the Clippers defense was worse last year. Could just be players learning a new system, but for being known as a "defensive coach", and after all the flak Del Negro got during his Clipper tenure, I was surprised to see the Clippers defense fell off from 2013. Still think the Clippers will be better this year. That has as much to do with Blake seemingly taking "the leap", though, than it does Doc in my eyes. Not saying Doc won't play a role, but even under Del Negro the Clippers really just needed Blake to go from being a really good All-Star to a legit superstar 1st/2nd team All-NBA caliber player -- which he was last year. Guess it's very possible you could give Doc credit (some of it at least) for that, though. Maybe he was able to motivate Blake in a way Del Negro never could.

[KG215]

OKC was at 40% strength last season, Denver had injuries, Dallas was geriatric, and all the other teams were just decent.

40% strength? How the hell did you come to that conclusion? Even Westbrook missing 36 games doesn't really equate to "40% strength." He was back and fine for the playoffs anyway and Ibaka missing two games after OKC eliminated the Clippers doesn't mean anything, either.

[masonanddixon]

40% strength? How the hell did you come to that conclusion? Even Westbrook missing 36 games doesn't really equate to "40% strength." He was back and fine for the playoffs anyway and Ibaka missing two games after OKC eliminated the Clippers doesn't mean anything, either.

He never looked quite right and the offense has been terrible and predictable since Harden left.

OKC really struggled against Memphis and many might say the officiating played a critical role in their advancing to the next round.

I just feel like the Clippers pretty much lost to the worst iteration of the Thunder since 09-10. Ultimately I don't really see what tangible improvements Rivers has brought to the team, but I do find his constant whining and complaining and PC liberal nonsense to make the Clippers unwatchable.

[bdreason]

He's a good coach, but definitely 2nd tier.

[miggyme1]

OK so what you're saying is Doc the Great Rivers gets you two more wins in the 2nd round than del Negro, and against a team that barely escaped a 7 seed.

so what u are saying is the thunder should have swept the grizz?? is that what u are saying??? get outta here with the bs kid. u cant win.

doc rivers first season in la...stop hating. del negro failed in chicago and was replaced after two seasons..he failed in la and was replaced after....guess what..two seasons...everywhere doc has coached he has stayed at least 4 seasons. enough said.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Thibs and KG made his career
they were the real coaches

now its CP

[miggyme1]

He's a good coach, but definitely 2nd tier.

who is in the top tier then??

i got pop,thibs,vogel,rivers and carlisle

if u say coach spo...........and ill leave it at that