Following Monday night’s loss to the LA Clippers, Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving had a lot to say about the job Doc Rivers has done this season.
The LA Clippers have been one of the NBA’s biggest surprises this season, and it looks as though some of the league’s greats have started to take notice.
On Monday night, the Clippers ran Kyrie Irving and the Boston Celtics out of Staples Center with a 140-115 win, led by Lou Williams‘ 34-point performance off the bench. The game was close through the first quarter, but by the end of the first half, the game had decidedly tilted in LA’s favor.
Doc Rivers and Co. were magnificent with their game plan, expertly balancing rotations that continued to build upon the Clippers’ lead as the night progressed. LA’s largest lead, which saw them up by 30 points, came when there were just two minutes left in the fourth quarter.
After the game, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps asked Irving for his thoughts on the way the LA Clippers have played this season, to which he replied with the following:
"“It’s so easy to play for a guy that’s been a player in this league. He’s won a championship and he’s done unbelievable things in this league for his players while giving them confidence to go out there and be who they are. Lou [Williams] signed an extension for a reason, and that’s Doc [Rivers]. He puts those guys in position, gives them the freedom and keeps them encouraged throughout the whole game — especially when they’re at home. Not only do they stay on the refs the whole entire frickin’ game — I’ve never seen a team complain as much — but he really holds them to a standard and lets them go out and play. Who would’ve known Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would be where he is now, being on a playoff team that’s competing for a spot? Those type of opportunities don’t come along often in this league, especially when you have a coach that’s going to get you the ball, and Sam Cassell and the coaching staff, they’re going to keep getting the best out of you. That’s what you want. That’s all the credit, after playing them twice now throughout this regular season, but also playing against Doc for the last several years.”"
It’s clear Irving thinks highly of Rivers and his coaching staff, and his individual praise of Gilgeous-Alexander goes along with that. And he’s absolutely right in what he’s saying, too. Even Clippers fans didn’t think Shai would be where he is now, and they certainly didn’t think the Clippers would be fighting for a playoff spot this deep into the season, either.
It’s also hard to ignore the fact that this is Kyrie Irving saying all of this, a player who should be one of the most sought-after free agents this summer, and a player who hasn’t been shy when it comes to sharing his opinions with the media. Perhaps he’s considered joining the Clippers this summer as well.
Another thing that Irving’s comments show is the impact that playing another successful team can have on the mindset of NBA players. There’s been plenty of healthy debate within the LA Clippers fanbase this season about whether or not making the playoffs is truly worth it, since LA’s own first round pick would convey to the Celtics in the event the Clippers secure a spot in the playoffs. Some have argued that making the playoffs wouldn’t do much to convince potential signees to come play for the Clippers, and while Irving’s comment certainly doesn’t suggest that he would, it does give fans some insight into how important being a competitive team can truly be.
The LA Clippers will play their next game on Tuesday night against the Portland Trail Blazers, a team that sits just two games ahead of them in the Western Conference standings. If LA wins, it’ll be their sixth in a row — a season-high mark for a team that’s putting all of its pieces together at the perfect time.