All Hail Doc Rivers ( A Class Act )

OK all of you Doc haters (you know who you are) the ones who would chant "Fire Doc, Fire Doc" with all of the lung capacity you could muster. Has he earned your respect yet? coming into this series most of the experts gave the coaching edge to the Lakers and the Zen Master Phil Jackson, after all the man just happens to own double digit championship rings. But I've been observing Doc Rivers during this final series and if I didn't know better I'd think this was Jackson's first trip to the big dance instead of Rivers. He has done a masterful job of motivating the troops to play harder, smarter and with more passion than the boys from LA(this is a good old fashion we are tougher than those pretty boys mentally at its best). Rivers is relaxed, jubilant, enjoying the moment, and doing one hell of a job of keeping the pressure off the players.

His dealings with the press have been open and honest, yet respectful no sour grapes or sending messages to the referees about the discrepancy in foul shots. And should the Celtics close out this series on Sunday, you can expect the same humility and class that Doc has always shown to shine through, oh yes he could stick it to his critics, but you see he's not that type of person. It's because of all these things that he has positioned his team to within one game of the NBA championship. If he pulls it off he will be the first African-American coach to lead his team to victory since KC Jones did it in the 80's. While I'm praising individual, let me give a big shout to Danny Ainge for getting his coach the tools(players) he needed to be successful. Any coach will tell you that he or she is only as good as the players they have to work with. You don't win Championships with mediocre players, you may pull off the occasional upset, but in the long run the clock will strike midnight. Doc has always been a good coach, he kept that terrible team of a season ago at least competing until the end and that takes more coaching than when you have talent. But this season his true mastery of the X's and O's are shining through, and his ability to manage and get players to buy in, is a Large reason why the Celtics are on the brink on winning their 17th championship.