Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers may or may not return to coach the Boston Celtics next year, leading to widespread speculation about what his decision will be. He says he’s leaning in one direction- but he just won’t say which.
"I'm not going to say which way I'm leaning, and I am one way, but I can look you in the eye and tell you I have not made a decision," he said. "We've only had one small conversation and we're going to do that in the next week or so." He gave these comments as part of an interview with Boston sports radio station WEEI 850 AM.
He didn’t elaborate on much except that what drew him towards retirement was the opportunity to see more of his children’s games. His son plays college basketball while his daughter plays volleyball, and yet more children of his are involved in sporting events. He said he had not yet discussed it with his family.
"We didn't talk about [a decision] at all, really. We've only even brought it up once since the season has been over. It's still very difficult to get through Game 7, let alone talk about the future, to be honest," said Rivers on WEEI.
It’s not hard to see why Game 7 would be a difficult topic. After leading his team through a year filled with injuries skillfully to reach the NBA finals, the Boston Celtics came within a hair of winning the championship, but blew a lead in the fourth quarter to fall to the Los Angeles Lakers 83-79 in one of the most instantly memorable finals in NBA history.
Team wants him back
Should he decide to return, it seems he’ll be greeted with open arms. Celtics star Kevin Garnett spoke highly of his coach after the finals.
"I think everyone wants him back; that's not even an issue," said Garnett. "It's just a matter of whether Doc wants to come back and whatever decision he sees fit for himself and his family."
His return could potentially hinge on how much of the Celtics core the team is able to keep together. There are rumours Paul Pierce, the longtime standard-bearer of the team, may not renew his contract extension with him and could play somewhere else to finish his career. If the team stays largely intact, it may bode well for the chance of Rivers coming back to aim to gain a championship after falling so painfully short. Ray Allen, another star player, is also an unrestricted free agent and resigning him may prove difficult.
Retirement talk is nothing new for Rivers, who had earlier spoken of his considering missing the 2009-2010 season to retire.
Celtics looking to recapture crown
Losing Rivers would be a blow to the team, as he led them to their 17th ever NBA championship in 2008, when Pierce was declared the MVP of the finals. It was the team’s first championship since 1986, ending a long-drought and earning Rivers accolades for his ability to bring his stars together into a powerful force. The team has looked impressive in his years as coach since 2004, and 2010 NBA championship would have given the team a much needed boost.
Rivers had a distinguished career as a player before a coach. He was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks and played for them for multiple years as point guard, and then went on to play for the Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs. It was his ability to view and control the play as point guard that many critics have pointed to as having helped him in his coaching career.
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