Doc Rivers interviewed on ESPN Radio
Doc Rivers joined John Thompson and Doc Walker for an interview on ESPN 980 in Washington, D.C. today. Rivers talked about the newly formed trio in Miami, the growth of Rajon Rondo, the Los Angeles Lakers, and how the hell he plans to defend the pick-and-roll with Shaq in the game. (SportsRadioInterviews.com)
On the Miami Heat:
I do think people are all focusing on the wrong thing. I think everybody is talking about shots. Is there enough shots, will they have enough shots, will they be able to play together, whose going to take the last shot and that could cause turmoil, but I think the key for them is will they defend? Because if they defend and get stops, they’re talented enough offensively to get points. The key for them is will they buy into being a defensive unit.”
On Rajon Rondo:
The other thing about Rondo is he’s the smartest player that I’ve ever coached. His basketball IQ is off the charts. Now it gets him in trouble at times, but he has great feel, he has huge hands, he can rebound, and the thing that I’m most impressed with is he’s doing this without a jump shot. You think about how dominant he has been. It’s always been said that you cannot win in the NBA with a non-shooting point guard. We’re winning with a non-shooting point guard and we’re winning because of his IQ.”
High praise for Rondo, being called “the smartest player I’ve ever coached” by Doc Rivers. Especially for a 24-year old kid. Interestingly, Coach K has echoed similiar sentiments while talking about Rondo. When watching Rondo, it’s easy to see he has a high basketball IQ, but with all the effusive praise, there must be more to Rondo than the casual fan sees while watching him play on TV. Hell, for all the praise, I expect him to be diagramming plays like the Annexation of Peurto Rico all day.
On the Lakers, via @AsherrodbCSN
“That actually bothers me, when they (LAL) count their total amount of championships, and they count them from another city.”
On the addition of Shaq:
My biggest concern honestly coach is defensively because every time Shaq comes on the floor, everyone is going to run pick and roll and no one has been successful in figuring out how to use him and I’m no smarter than anyone else. That’s all we’ve been focusing on this summer is trying to figure out what we’re going to do in pick and rolls when he comes into the game.”
I laughed out loud when I read Doc’s take on Shaq. Sorry Doc, but no defensive scheming is not going to hide the fact that Shaq has cement in his sneakers and will get torched on nearly every pick-and-roll this season. Tom Thibodeau would be the only guy with a chance to come up with a defensive scheme that would work, but he works for the Chicago Bulls now. We’re just going have to take our lumps defensively when Shaq is on the court, and hope that his offensive skills outweight his defensive weaknesses.
Related posts:
Celtics Blog | Tommy King | August 23, 2010
Doc Rivers, Lebron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Rajon Rondo, shaq, Shaquille O'Neal
Clearly you didn’t watch the most recent episode of Shaq vs. if you think he has “cement in his sneakers” dude moved real quick.
Also, killer Little Giants reference.
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Sadly, I missed the last episode of Shaq vs., but compared to NBA point guards, he at least LOOKS like has cement in his sneakers. The man cannot and will not defend the pick-and-roll. I’m resigned to the fact and I just hope he’ll make up for it on the offensive end. Gotta love the Little Giants. Next article, I’ll have to compare Perkins to an in-her-prime ‘Icebox.’ Interesting side-note, my younger brother once had a crush on girl we dubbed Icebox for her resemblance to the Lil Giants character. Needless to say, he dumped her ASAP.
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He may not have cement in his sneakers when on his show, but in the pick and roll he certainly does.
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Instead of worrying and bashing Shaq’s PnR defense why not wait to see how it is? This will be the best defensive team he has ever been on. Shaq has always played preety solid defense and now that he has several HOFs as teammates I believe he will adjust and pick up his game, and theirs to his, to the level we have seen the team play (last playoffs and in 2008). Shaq wants more rings and in order for him to get them he has to buy into the Celtics ‘team’ and all aspects including the emphasis on playing instense team defense. It’s getting real old reading stories about something that hasn’t even happened yet. I know, and can see from the posts lately, that the dog days of summer are not kind to stories of importance, but all this ‘worry’ months before the season starts is wasted effort. Go Cs…
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Sorry James, we’re not bashing O’Neal P+R defense we’re being honest. It’s going to suck , there’s no way around it. Shaq in his prime couldn’t defend the P+R, he’s not going to start now. Doesn’t mean I don’t think he’ll be avaluable signing, or the Celtics won’t win a ring.
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Doc also claimed that the Lakers have never beaten the Celtics starting five, as if Perk is such a force in the middle. What a sore loser!
Guess what, Doc: the Celtics have never beaten the Lakers’ starting five either. If Bynum was playing in 2008 the Lakers could have easily won the championship. Not that I had any respect for this idiot before, but now I hope that the Celtics never win another championship for at least 100 years. Hell, they’ll never get out of the East w/ the new juggernaut from Miami….
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thats excactly what i was thinking…..doc needs to do his research before saying the celtics beat the lakers starting 5 because bynum was out and ariza was injured.and in 2010 kobe had a messed up finger and bad knee’s and bynum was limited because of his knee’s. who was injured on the celtics besides perkins(for the last game)
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