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02-11-2008, 04:15 AM
Buck Harvey: Rivers as Pop: Closer than status implies
Web Posted: 02/10/2008 10:53 PM CST
By Buck Harvey
San Antonio Express-News
BOSTON — Former point guards, they are about the same size. Both can charm yet follow with a mix of anger and toughness. And they have nicknames made for the Seven Dwarfs.
Pop and Doc also have been called Dopey and Grumpy at times in their careers.
But as Gregg Popovich won while Boston fans chanted "Fire Doc" last season, these men who once lived near each other in San Antonio moved in different directions. One became a Hall of Fame lock and the other a fool, when they are actually similar.
What mostly has separated them, after all, is one decision by Tim Duncan.
Sunday didn't define either coach. Only an in-and-out 3-pointer by Michael Finley kept the Spurs from repeating what they did in New York, which is grind out another win without Tony Parker.
That's why Popovich was relatively unbothered afterward. The Spurs didn't get even one fast-break score, and yet they had a chance.
Rivers was without Kevin Garnett, too, but at least Rivers is used to it. Rivers spent most of this decade missing such a player.
He missed, specifically, Duncan in 2000. Rivers was coming off a coach-of-the-year season in Orlando with both cap space and draft picks. Better yet, he and Duncan were friends.
Those who knew Rivers in San Antonio weren't surprised. A Spurs backup, he could be diplomatic and honest and engaging. When his legs finally gave out, he moved seamlessly to the Spurs' broadcast.
Peter Holt noticed. Had the 1999 season not turned around when it did, Holt was prepared to replace Popovich with Rivers.
Watching all along was Duncan. So then came 2000, with Rivers courting Duncan, and Malik Rose thinks this is true: Duncan trusted Rivers just as he trusted Popovich.
Had Duncan landed in Orlando, Rivers might still be there with his own championship banners. Instead his teams limped as badly as Grant Hill did, and Rivers went to Boston and found the same kind of splintered personnel. He lost as he had before, and no one cared last year if he was coaching kids.
Even his grace with the media became an issue. Had he been conning people all along?
Danny Ainge stuck with Rivers last summer even though the Celtics had won only 57 games over two seasons. But Ainge's support had limits. He gave Rivers a short-term extension that protected the Celtics; Ainge was giving Rivers an opportunity, nothing more.
Then came Garnett, finally providing Rivers with his own Duncan. Now Rivers has the league's best record, and no one in Boston chants "Fire Doc."
As Sunday suggested, there is more to Rivers than having talent. The Celtics played with an edge without Garnett, and they also played with the kind of defense that Popovich preaches.
Rivers had something for Duncan, too. Without either of his starting big men, Rivers leaned on a rookie nicknamed Big Baby. Big Baby then leaned on Duncan.
Glen Davis is a 290-pound mini-Shaq who looks closer to 6-foot-7 than his listed height. So when Rivers told him to defend Duncan he also told him: "He's taller than you, and you're not going to grow today."
That's Rivers the former TV commentator. He entertains as he explains.
Rivers repeated other basics. "Because you have a low center of gravity," Rivers told Davis, "get into his legs and try to push him off the block. Try to keep him out of the middle and beat him to the spot."
The pushing was excessive at times, and another day might have brought other calls. There was a 34-13 difference in free-throw attempts.
But referees tend to reward the aggressor. Popovich always has believed that. So Rivers made do with a rookie guarding Duncan, along with a second-year point guard who ended with a double-double in assists and rebounds.
With that, Duncan lost for the first time in Boston, and for a day Doc was Pop. When asked about this transformation, Rivers smiled and said with considerable sarcasm, "I'm not sure, but I don't think I got smarter this season."
Yes, that sounded like Popovich.
[email protected]
LINK: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA02112008.Harvey-Column.EN.36e14f0.html
Web Posted: 02/10/2008 10:53 PM CST
By Buck Harvey
San Antonio Express-News
BOSTON — Former point guards, they are about the same size. Both can charm yet follow with a mix of anger and toughness. And they have nicknames made for the Seven Dwarfs.
Pop and Doc also have been called Dopey and Grumpy at times in their careers.
But as Gregg Popovich won while Boston fans chanted "Fire Doc" last season, these men who once lived near each other in San Antonio moved in different directions. One became a Hall of Fame lock and the other a fool, when they are actually similar.
What mostly has separated them, after all, is one decision by Tim Duncan.
Sunday didn't define either coach. Only an in-and-out 3-pointer by Michael Finley kept the Spurs from repeating what they did in New York, which is grind out another win without Tony Parker.
That's why Popovich was relatively unbothered afterward. The Spurs didn't get even one fast-break score, and yet they had a chance.
Rivers was without Kevin Garnett, too, but at least Rivers is used to it. Rivers spent most of this decade missing such a player.
He missed, specifically, Duncan in 2000. Rivers was coming off a coach-of-the-year season in Orlando with both cap space and draft picks. Better yet, he and Duncan were friends.
Those who knew Rivers in San Antonio weren't surprised. A Spurs backup, he could be diplomatic and honest and engaging. When his legs finally gave out, he moved seamlessly to the Spurs' broadcast.
Peter Holt noticed. Had the 1999 season not turned around when it did, Holt was prepared to replace Popovich with Rivers.
Watching all along was Duncan. So then came 2000, with Rivers courting Duncan, and Malik Rose thinks this is true: Duncan trusted Rivers just as he trusted Popovich.
Had Duncan landed in Orlando, Rivers might still be there with his own championship banners. Instead his teams limped as badly as Grant Hill did, and Rivers went to Boston and found the same kind of splintered personnel. He lost as he had before, and no one cared last year if he was coaching kids.
Even his grace with the media became an issue. Had he been conning people all along?
Danny Ainge stuck with Rivers last summer even though the Celtics had won only 57 games over two seasons. But Ainge's support had limits. He gave Rivers a short-term extension that protected the Celtics; Ainge was giving Rivers an opportunity, nothing more.
Then came Garnett, finally providing Rivers with his own Duncan. Now Rivers has the league's best record, and no one in Boston chants "Fire Doc."
As Sunday suggested, there is more to Rivers than having talent. The Celtics played with an edge without Garnett, and they also played with the kind of defense that Popovich preaches.
Rivers had something for Duncan, too. Without either of his starting big men, Rivers leaned on a rookie nicknamed Big Baby. Big Baby then leaned on Duncan.
Glen Davis is a 290-pound mini-Shaq who looks closer to 6-foot-7 than his listed height. So when Rivers told him to defend Duncan he also told him: "He's taller than you, and you're not going to grow today."
That's Rivers the former TV commentator. He entertains as he explains.
Rivers repeated other basics. "Because you have a low center of gravity," Rivers told Davis, "get into his legs and try to push him off the block. Try to keep him out of the middle and beat him to the spot."
The pushing was excessive at times, and another day might have brought other calls. There was a 34-13 difference in free-throw attempts.
But referees tend to reward the aggressor. Popovich always has believed that. So Rivers made do with a rookie guarding Duncan, along with a second-year point guard who ended with a double-double in assists and rebounds.
With that, Duncan lost for the first time in Boston, and for a day Doc was Pop. When asked about this transformation, Rivers smiled and said with considerable sarcasm, "I'm not sure, but I don't think I got smarter this season."
Yes, that sounded like Popovich.
[email protected]
LINK: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA02112008.Harvey-Column.EN.36e14f0.html