Doc Rivers

Fourth and final -- Dennis and Callahan our interview with Doc Rivers has brought -- converse basketball to the hometown team bring home numbers 78. Good morning -- congratulations -- one down three to go. Good morning have you spoken to Paul this morning is my first question for you. Yeah what do you expect to a year or find out when you do you have any idea.

I really don't and obviously the second -- the next page -- injuries the you know the most dangerous you know Eddie thought -- just displaying there have been more tests that they and so. Well quite well.

Does it upset you does make you laugh or do you have no reaction when you find out that some Lakers many Laker fans. And believe it -- several media members are suggesting Paul is faking this injury.

That's ridiculous. You're defeated concern you know I thought. But -- it is nothing bad that he thought it was an in the clear young no and and that happens let things. You know a lot of times when guys -- about what ankle injuries with the northern when they first go down there at their first audits vocal turgeon. They're making get up and play out of that that was any different than last night would they.

It seems to me it's easily -- any athlete the calibre of Paul Pierce or anywhere on the feel on the floor last night. The last thing in the world they want to do is to be carried off the off the floor and put a wheelchair and -- often not often the -- power.

Now -- but almost religion you know what I walked out of some clutch and as the and you know obviously have gone through that injury did -- just assume that's what was -- of that. What I went right back to the bench to are really thought. It was a million it was it was the bad injuries so we'll you know we're fortunate.

I are you assuming though that he won't be 100% -- will there be. Some that affects from this on Sunday night and if so what does that mean do you kind of adjustments do you have to make.

Well you know develop what I am assuming that I will tell you that but we don't know to what degree and and so. You know as far as adjustments is that difficult to make because you know from how how good did -- Will be an effective score would be an effective defender -- it is. Just don't vote yet there's and so we're just gonna have to wait there's.

I want this okay can you explain something -- I saw the job you guys did on Kobe Bryant and it was brilliant again. But it seems like virtually every time you can stop them -- you you know you kind of -- somebody else was in his face -- it's clearly a team effort. Yeah and Allen on sometimes pierce and and Posey. How do you how do you determine who's on him when.

Well it's pretty simple you know we're ready on the floor the most partisan guard -- the thought is that the best. Regiment -- comes on. A freight and all the more than six minutes we we tend to want to proposal for awhile. Paula don't force short time I don't really liked that matchup no more problems than I was. So quit that you know Reagan and -- will be on the majority of --

What what did you do so well last night other than than just the all out effort on the part of Allen and Posey. What made you -- so effective in helping them helping out on on Colby in and and base battles they shut them down but certainly neutralizing him.

Contested shots contested jump shots -- really nothing more Baghdad we did do any changes in -- deterrent. You know -- but I was there in the for the series you know we're going to play the -- we play we are obviously pretty special attention to. For the best player. You know our our applauded as much you can keep my out of the -- we have to do it. And try to force contested shots and and I thought we did it.

My my guess is -- that -- satisfied as you are with that one game individual performance of trying to limit Kobe is best you can he's one of those guys you can't say today well we got that figured out he's not going to be a problem rest of the series.

You know hours you know you do admit saga that is clearly Jamaica we understand that. There and he knows some -- shut it can make it well if you know -- inside right you know are still. Much like I did against Cleveland but the bottom. We're going to have to win a game and Kobe have been great there's no doubt about that you know can be Sunday could be you know Larry. But he's going to have a great day and we're going to have to when Matt Damon Huard.

It seemed to me the -- to last night's game in the probably should make you proud is is -- is that didn't quit pierce didn't quit when he thought his -- was injured the team didn't quit when they closed -- was injured a Kevin Garnett didn't quit when he missed nine shots and -- say that backcourt violation Ray Allen didn't quit playing defense on -- it sounds like your punch back -- you get -- has sunk in --

You know well it has to -- He's going to work out four of them. You know with Kevin -- just sort of the key to fired up there you know -- we we did we mr. golden opportunities. Beginning of the floor where we -- all shooters on the floor we got tipped the ball first couple times on the polls. And then we came down -- the between them -- jacked up for five jumpers and broke that was the only sort of today that I wasn't happy with the way of replying. Other than that I liked effort a -- we could run more you know we've got multiple misses we do it. And if we can force multiple misses in the next games coming up I think we can -- committed early deficit in the get out of the break as well.

Revisiting revisiting those ill advised shots in third double edged sword having Sam command and and make his first three a draw nice charge on Gobi where he feels -- like what I'm feeling it now and and sometimes he doesn't think the best shot down the road.

And you almost have to live with the there was this important thing is we just thought -- doesn't rule you know really. Stressed that it coming out of the timeout that's why when he. Separate the first one yeah if people look at around have been rich and Donna took -- The government like we we do follow -- that shot at times and we that we -- jump shooters and you know wouldn't look. But toward the good looking -- girlfriend. They should take it there's no doubt about but -- the government rolled in together more discipline and say let's play -- pulled. Invested about you know seven is such a woman passes and that's something up talked about all year you're always going to -- anywhere.

Colby and Gasol ran a couple of great pick and roll plays and that would dunks. And in fact Mark Jackson says it looked like bird and parish grind that play out there. That was in the first half in the second half to get in this all got one who. What did you do so effectively that -- to stop him.

Well we're number one both of them were missed assignment. We went over that have to. And you know that that told -- the one of those should've happened so there wasn't anything that we did as far as on the adjustment. You know that's what I was sitting out -- depressed so we just did our jobs in effect -- should do. -- various physical. There where -- the so well we've gotten relief out and you don't want to just put them to follow a lot of on the first -- we did a little bit about it well. In the second half we didn't. We played solid defense without problem that we have to do.

Speaking of a silly fouls we should've asked too early on how is -- Perkins this morning.

You know that's another one that I don't know I'm a I'm probably you know -- concern body is because married thrower and he couldn't go for the most part. In the fourth quarter so you know -- to -- was foursome you know. We'll -- today but I just don't know yet.

What do you what do you do if what we all all obviously we know Perkins can't go PJ brown it's more minutes and you know probably lead on -- but what if and even want to think about this what -- Paul Pierce can't go what happens.

World we're just for the next guy did you know you know -- would probably started maybe its own judgment of that like. Told coming off the bench so you know we we actually did talk about a event that last night. The conversation and approach does you don't want to but you have to have -- we have a little one last night we'll talk about a --

Is -- safe to say don't -- tells you he 60%. And going forward it's it's not the number that has the coach say okay you can go when it's sixty but not at 59 is more -- an eyeball test.

Well no when -- visited the Serb. That means that employers.

another number did qualify and in your mind.

Yeah being. When when Macphail magnitude did you did okay -- appropriately that goes through television that they can go as far as them.

How many of you guys do you worry might get too jacked up because I watched the pregame and just all the hype -- the noise in the music and I say. I don't think the problem would be getting up for this game would be getting down to the to level you have to be at the plays smart play composed.

Our our league did a pretty good job of bringing them down well forty minute introduction to throw a football. By the time it didn't started. I really thought what could make a mile flat the gun battle of the long time whenever you look at it and warming up effort -- that you would --

I was wondering have sent a big is this why were they go back because they showed a report on courtside in the shoot around again yeah and that's odd.

Yeah it'd been sort of the that would happen so we have a Serb war you know would -- before the game. About I was worried about you know just making sure our guys understood that you know this. Where we thought we would be but but just make sure we don't settle on Maria right now militants.

But the Lakers shot three of fourteen from beyond the arc 21% and I'm wondering other than just the basic. Defensive tentative contesting that shot what are the what are two principles that makes a team successful in making it difficult for -- it. To -- shoot three of fourteen from the three.

Well you commit to run and immobilized and understanding you're -- literally run -- and and force him to put it -- on the floor and then you have to revise your help because they're very comfortable on the line and our our our thought you know it is mostly from we've done it all year. It -- completed on the floor making -- between jump shot. And and and make -- seven be contested we gave up two. In the first there's as much Thomas right where there uncontested threes. And no but once we don't give up and we never -- corner threes and we didn't want to vote in the fourth quarter. So no that doesn't.

Don't pleasure criteria for evaluating whether Rondo has had a good game or not other than the team winning.

Well yeah that's one album and more commented before involved how the ball was moving. It and how we get Gibraltar and you know it ought to put all the second year player. But it is job we talked about it all the time and I we talked during timeouts. You know no reason we brought to -- itself grabbed him before he did to the bench. And just you know. Dropped replays that we had runs -- Kevin Garnett hasn't -- the ball in the post the last two possessions. Just remind him of that and in them and I watched today. You know I just look at the Florida stifled the right way to run them on his belt where they make it remittance that the matter division is too long was we're playing the clerk work.

The -- series discussion about Rondo said that it's the it would seem that he has the physical skills to speed. The blow past his man again occasional open layup or an easy layup I don't think he had -- last night as -- reason they didn't.

They played solid defense we never got enough stuff in -- we did the one stretch when when we. Minute -- the first quarter that we made another one in the third quarter but I do believe you can just before. The president I think you'll see that more in the next.

When when Paul Pierce comes out near the -- crazy and immediately. It says -- to go back in the game are you in disbelief at that point do you have the check with the trainers say is this for real as he really ready to play.

Decided trusted you know about flies Bernard grabbed him back. Players because thought the assistant trainer came out and sit. I think he's okay about I don't know if DePaul -- total of Mattel just never know. And then I turned back about salt doctor which you give me the thumbs up and ready to play you know our learned long ago don't trust the player with that --

What when I when he goes down -- and and you know what everybody New England doctors that could the series is over come in it's just the way. You think when you see a guy that important go down in that kind of pain. Did that thought cross your mind.

I really didn't you know October they're guys write a timeout effects McGwire I'd left. Instead it over the -- toward Darden should we've we've worked going up like this all year there was going to be fine and I really believe that I thought we would -- very. Somehow and you know obviously the Cougars with a bit more difficult but I never thought of that just applicable far and away.

It up -- now Paul Pierce in game six in Detroit walked away from -- Torre's horrible call. Which just a wry smile on his base he was widely applauded in all quarters and you by the -- were also given credit for having convinced him and gotten him into was -- that -- these things are going to happen he can -- team twice by having. You know a bad response to something like that you think they called again last night -- banked a three pointer that but it might have been able to -- in Iraq that thing around his -- again.

Then there I don't believe there would have been no talk from all that Bob I'm certain that they're -- a -- about the --

So what's the process today and germs find that out how low perk is and and Paul is.

Well Tomo well Michael actually about the go into the arena and now you know you're in the final period part of that theory and sort of upsides still there. And video just let me know you'll all probably. Won't give in to -- until around 11 o'clock but -- of the order just to yourself what's more airman. Pros are probably won't know right away at me detect tomorrow pretty hard last -- we'll know that would. Pretty soon you know it's -- movies don't have but I do would -- because just never know what you're gonna wake up.

We we feel compelled to -- by the front door to see him walk from the car Natalie just see how that looks.

Yeah -- you don't -- a word about it -- there's no belt and I would be very surprised if it is hard -- these big ticket beta well Upton you know would have to know what.

Aren't bad sign if they sit -- can you commodity we need help carrying all into the.

Or build a bad side as we better become tomorrow it will -- so. -- Our -- best of luck. They're -- I'm talking about it off with.

You know had a helluva night and -- hit substitution yeah absolutely yes and they in the you know van Gundy Jackson. Gave him credit he you know and I think I'm thinking yeah. I don't even want to use the word rotation because in Gundy says is no such thing as a rotation in the playoffs and there isn't. But -- we -- grades we have somebody did.

Forget the great we get like an -- plus one -- and it's easy reduction Jack -- bit on the and I am not doctor Jack Ramsey of the very short bit and he used to evaluate the coaching reversed -- coaching battle as the price. Every -- made for the bench paid dividends to the Celtics to start the game Rivers match Garnett against Gasol. But when Garnett picked up his first while -- Perkins to assault and Garnett Odom the Lakers never went to this all with any consistency and all -- was not really offensive threat. Rivers had a variety of defenders on Kobe started with Ray Allen is terrific job QB Bryant at the perimeter and challenging his jumper. Paul Pierce and Posey also defended Kobe and general permitted him from an MVP performance he also use him so effectively to Colorado for thirty minutes at the end we cut the chase so -- Doc Rivers the coaching nod over the veteran nine ring where -- Jack -- at least for game three you know our game one check marked.

He talks about Ray Allen just do when you and given his best give his best in an effort it's more than that you know it's more than that because. Guess what he was just covered by -- bone in San Antonio and and Andre Kirilenko in in you to two guys generally considered better defenders and Ray Allen. And I didn't -- ate him alive the whole series he certainly had. He didn't have many 926 is right and he won the series. He was very effective he was at the top of his game becomes in the Boston faces Ray Allen and Posey and -- And is just completely. I don't offers game mean he just looked uncomfortably didn't get easy Lewis he can get open shots he made some nice passes but clearly. Colby was what was affected by the defensive effort and that's attributed the coach whether it's Xs and -- or effort it's a tribute to the coach.

All of your a Celtic fan and after a fan of basketball and and you think about what he -- Allen today I think it might want to the first things dioxin in the interview exit may -- this is a case and it happens from time to time. The an injury happens guy at first and it it hurts like hell. And your very scared and you don't know that the ankle with a knee is going to support you and because it hurts you know so badly in that moment you're afraid and you'll end up getting carried off early and often don't think you can make it and then once it comes down a little bit it's not as bad as you are going to make an excuse for the drama -- that's going to las okay bill let's speak