next »

[connor]

To be perfectly honest I never thought there was any debate, the answer for me is a resounding YES. However, the longer I spend on these forums the more I get a sense that a very sizable chunk of the Celtics fan base (or at least this forum) don't like Doc as a coach.

So I've been giving it a lot of thought and still came up with the same answer: yes. Now I know Boston fans (and I've been guilty myself on a number of occasions) are notorious for overrating our own players, but I don't think this is the case.

Yes Doc has some of the tightest rotations in the league. No he does not let his young guys see any reasonable amount of court time unless he is forced. Yes everyone knows the last shot of the game is going to be Pierce from the elbow. And people definitely like to take shots at his lineup construction and minutes distribution.

But don't the results speak for themselves?
In the last 5 years we've won a championship, been a Perkins injury away from another, and took Miami to 7 games last season in the conference finals (where I thought we were overmatched but played beyond our means). 

Maybe he is only suitable for a team full of vets, but the question is: is he a great coach?

I'd say he is most definitely in the top 5 in the league, at the VERY least top 10. He's being talked about as next in line to take over for Team USA. Yes he can be frustrating, but I don't know how you can challenge his credentials.

[timobusa]

I'd say he is.
Top 5 in the league right now, for sure.
Out of time-out plays. Motivating guys. He sure is up there.

But he's so stubborn in his ways, which frustrate a lot of fans, I am one of them.
My only qualms about his coaching is as I've said before, his rotations and his use of younger guys.

We would've never known about how good Bradley is if Ray didn't get hurt.
The same goes to Big Baby, if KG didn't get hurt in 09.

But I get that he is a great coach, and obviously the record and the accolades that he accumulated over the years are proof of that.

I just get frustrated with his over reliance on the veterans. That's it. But yes, to answer your question, he is a great coach.

[celtics2]

To even suggest he is a great Coach or to apply his name with other Great Coaches would be obscene. Doc is simply a 500 Coach. Exception of course when KG and Allen had fresh legs long ago. I think then KG was actually running the Team.

[steefp2]

No, but he is a good coach. Still better then most of the coaches. Great coaches are rare in my opinion, like popovich or sloan and ofcourse Red but doc is good. He has some great moments (which we exaggerate) and some bad moments (to which we do the same).

[jdz101]

Simple answer. Yep.

[cltc5]

No.  He's a decent coach.  Meaning he has about 50/50 good and bad moments balanced out by his personality and likeability from players which puts him at a 60/40 coach.  Above average.  He's stubborn with who he plays-that's bad coaching.  His rotations and minutes are inconsistent-that's bad coaching.  He doesn't draw up any new plays that would get other guys the ball-bad coaching.  He's basically a facilitator of talent with some basic knowledge of x and o's.  The c's success has been synonymous with the will and drive of the players not doc Rivers coaching.  I do like doc and glad To have him as coach but when kg and pp leave I'd like him to go on ahead with them frankly.   

[Onslaught]

In the game today? Yes, top 3 probably.
All time? No.  Good but not great.

[Celtics4ever]

Great at managing comebacks and players, absollutely,  great at x's and 0's not really. ( small ball)

[Roy H.]

Great?  No.

He's a good coach for a veteran team, though.

[CelticsFanNC]

 Great coaches at the NBA level are few and far between. 

 Doc is a very good coach and we are lucky to have him.

[scaryjerry]

I like doc but absolutely not...Tom thibodeau was more important then him in our finals years...he's simply overrated..a decent  veteran player coach...I think 80% of the  leagues coaches could have done with this team what he's accomplished and better

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Simple answer. Yep.

NOPE.

[Snakehead]

People still love to hate Doc huh?

Is he flawless?  No.  Few are close to that.  To me he is great though.

Great at managing comebacks and players, absollutely,  great at x's and 0's not really. ( small ball)

See you say "small ball" here... isn't that his personnel?

My issue is people will blame him for things that are out of his control.

[Celtics18]

I say, yes, Doc is a great coach.

[celticslove]

I like doc but absolutely not...Tom thibodeau was more important then him in our finals years...he's simply overrated..a decent  veteran player coach...I think 80% of the  leagues coaches could have done with this team what he's accomplished and better

totally agree with this. good yes, saying he is great maybe pushing it too far.