No remorse from Doc
Rivers still comfortable with LA choice
The comments hit social media mere moments after the Celtics walked off the court in victory on Monday night. Four years after Doc Rivers left town, the Celts were back in the conference finals, and Doc has yet to get there with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Taking into account his team is in the far-more difficult--Western Conference and that injuries have hindered the quest, it’s a tough comparison to make with any intellectual honesty.
Then there’s the fact Rivers doesn’t much care anyway.
“None of that actually matters to me,” the Clippers coach and president told the Herald yesterday. “I’m happy for the Celtics, and I’m very happy where I’m at. I did what I did for a lot of reasons, so I have no problem with that. Hey, it’s true. They’re in the conference finals, and we haven’t gotten there yet, and I don’t really care on my account. I’m not in competition with that. I’m happy for the Celtics and what they’ve been able to do.
“Boy, it’s amazing. It’s great. I mean, listen, I’m the coach and president of the Clippers, but I’m always going to be happy for guys I worked with and worked for. The way it’s worked out. I couldn’t be more thrilled for Danny (Ainge) and (assistant general manager) Mike Zarren and Brad (Stevens, who replaced him as coach). I think it’s just phenomenal.”
Rivers is pleased, too, for his friends on the Cavaliers — head coach Tyronn Lue and assistants Mike Longabardi and James Posey.
“I’m telling people I’m recusing myself from this playoff series,” Rivers said with a laugh. “It’s funny. I’ve got Longo, James Posey and Ty with Cleveland, and then Jay Larranaga, Jamie Young, Danny and just the Celtics. I was having dinner with (Clippers owner Steve) Ballmer and he said, ‘ Who are you cheering for?’ I said, ‘I kind of want this series to get over.’ This is hard.”
For Rivers, there is no abdicator’s remorse. Though the Celtics didn’t want him to go, he wasn’t up for a rebuilding project here and took off for a different ocean and more responsibility in Los Angeles.
“It was just something that I wanted to do,” he said. “I thought at that point in my life, it was a great opportunity for me to try to do this, and I’m really happy with that.”
And he insists he feels no pangs when he sees how quickly the Celts have gotten back into the fray. He doesn’t think about how cool it would be to win a championship, start again, and get this far with the first overall pick coming.
“I can tell you I’ve given that like zero thought, and I’m being completely honest with you,” Rivers said. “To me, I had an amazing nine-year ride in Boston, and I’m so thankful for that, but I’m not greedy. . . . I guess we all are in life, but I don’t look at it in those terms. I really haven’t. Everything would be neat. (Expletive), it would be neat to be the coach of Golden State right now, you know what I mean? But I’m not, and I’m very happy with where I am. I don’t look back like that at things.”
When he does glance in the rearview mirror, the distance the Celtics have traveled in four years does not come as a shock to him.
“Of all the people I thought could rebuild a team, Danny was the guy,” Rivers said. “I’ve always thought that. I knew when I left that they were going to do this. It was going to take a while, but they were going to do it. My whole thing was that hey, I want to try this, too. I want to do more. I want to do more than just be a coach. I wanted to do more, and the only way I would have that opportunity was by leaving. And that was hard.
“Think back to how long it took me to make that decision, even though I had a golden opportunity. You remember what that summer was like. It was a hard decision because I left a great situation. I always say it would have been a much easier decision if Danny was a bad guy and it was a terrible organization and I didn’t love the city. But I had everything. The thing is, I’m a guy that keeps pushing. That’s just me.”
In 2013, after Rivers’ Celtics bombed out in the first round against the Knicks in six games, the trade of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn was just around the corner.
“I was not aware, but I was aware,” Rivers said. “Obviously you knew they were going to move everybody, and you knew who wanted them, but I don’t think anyone dreamed it was going to work as well as it worked. I mean, it’s just like the gift that keeps giving. I think you knew it was a great deal for Boston, but no one could predict it was going to be this great. The Nets had to fail and . . . I think everyone’s surprised at what they’ve done.”
More are surprised at what the Celtics have accomplished and how they stand ready to improve with the first overall draft pick and cap space in hand. Opponents cannot be pleased with these developments, but Doc Rivers isn’t among the angry.