Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010 at 9:00 am  |  47 responses

Doc Rivers Responds to Phil Jackson’s KG Jab

Jackson seems to say something to try and get in the head of his opponent prior to each Playoff series; the NBA Finals are no exception. Doc Rivers, though, had fun with Phil’s poke at his star forward’s tactics. From the LA Times: “Speaking of his own defense, Jackson said, ‘We don’t have a smackdown mentality.’ Then, Jackson said, using Garnett as an example, ‘You might have seen that with  Garnett on [Orlando's Dwight] Howard in Game 6 in Boston, where [Garnett] was smacking Howard’s arm and was finally called for an offensive foul. That’s not our kind of team. We don’t go out there and smack people around.’ Now, whether Jackson intended the slight or not, his answer is being used as bulletin-board fodder for this Finals series. On Tuesday, Garnett gave the jab a brief no comment, later adding, ‘I think nothing of it. It’s just Phil playing mind games.’ But Celtics Coach Doc Rivers appreciated it on Garnett’s behalf. ‘We just thank Phil for the compliment,’ Rivers said. ‘That’s very nice of him to say.’ Moreover, Rivers said Jackson’s usual postseason zinger is a compliment for Garnett. ‘I think he picks the best player on the other team or who he thinks is key,’ Rivers said. ‘So I think Kevin should put that one right up there with his MVP trophy and everything else. I think Kevin should be excited about that.’ Will other Celtics players be jealous? ‘I think Paul [Pierce] and Ray [Allen] and [Rajon] Rondo, they’re going to be [upset] about this because they were hoping it would be them,’ Rivers said, smiling.”

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  • a.L.

    here comes the mind games!

  • a.L.

    first!

  • http://Www.lkz.ch Darksaber

    Noice!

  • riggs

    someone should send one of those inflatable donuts for phil to sit his ass on and shut up already.

  • http://www.hbo.com/the-wire/index.html jasondolemite

    phil’s getting really lame. you would never hear red auerbach whine or b*tch the way he does. critics say phil can get away with it because of his credentials. so lame. if anything, an established coach should be doing less of this kind of manipulative bs, and stick to coaching.

  • German Reignman

    very good comeback by Doc

  • moses

    Jackson has more than auerbach and yeah they do play smackdown that’s why when orlando got tough on them started crying like b**ches

  • http://thekobebeef.wordpress.com LDR4

    It would be news it Phil didn’t say anything at all.

  • peter

    @jason: why should he change now? Its obviously a tactic works for him (and his team). 10 rings on his way to 11.

  • vtrobot

    thanks for continuing to prove me right when i say that you ALWAYS play the b*tch role, phil. this was one of the lamest pre-series “mind games” yet. i’m sure it really rattled KG. his focus is all shot now. go coach lebron, you f*cking coattail rider.

  • vtrobot

    @ peter: yeah, it’s wasn’t jordan’s skill and drive, it was phil’s mind games.

  • http://www.slamonline.com MooButter

    Vujacic’s elbow and almost anything Derek Fisher does beg to differ with you Coach. Your team has been know to employ some fairly shady tactics.

  • Logues

    even phil should know that you are not gonna rattle or get in kg’s head. dude is so focused and determined

  • http://www.hbo.com/the-wire/index.html jasondolemite

    @ peter: so you think these “tactics” made his teams win? you think it had something to do with his players and coaching staff? i was trying to convey the point that teams can win without their coaches crying to the world. phil is losing my respect.

  • BostonBaller

    I see nothing wrong with what Jackson does..this “jab” was not at KG per say but to have the refs perked up with their jaws filled w/ air ready to blow more calls….

  • A2

    Wait, Red was a paragon of virtue? Bless Red’s soul but he would bristle at being called a “gentleman” or “classy”. He was and always will be a mean old SOB and he was damn proud of that.

  • Morgan

    This may have been more directed at the Refs…we all know KG isn’t going to change his game for something Phil says but he has very quietly brought it to the refs attention so look for KG getting called on it at least once. And if they don’t, look for Phil to say something fine-worthy in the post game presser.

  • http://www.hbo.com/the-wire/index.html jasondolemite

    @ A2: Red would not whine and complain to the newspapers about the refs.

  • T-Money

    Cmon now, this has nothing to do with his 10 rings. Phil is just a snarky kind of guy and like to throw shots at ppl. How many palming violations were called on Nash in the last series? Yeah, exactly.

  • A2

    Yeah he’d much rather chew em out right in front of all the fans. Look Phil’s doing what every other coach in this Lig does. Van Gundy, O’Brien, Larry Brown, George Karl et al

  • http://www.hbo.com/the-wire/index.html jasondolemite

    I don’t see Doc Rivers playing dumb “mind games.”

  • http://www.hbo.com/the-wire/index.html jasondolemite

    There’s nothing wrong with yelling at refs in the game. I have a problem with him crying about it to the media before a game has even been played. Doc Rivers isn’t doing this….

  • mellmeister

    phil is the zen master after all… ;P

  • BostonBaller

    I loved me son red A but he was a mean SOB and very intelligent. He used to crank up the heat in the visitors locker room before playoff games in May & June. I believe he started the whole moving the dead spots around thing. He would take a shot or two at the refs and other teams in the media (but nothing as consistent as Jackson though) lol

  • A2

    The very same Doc Rivers who was repeatedly derided as being the “worst in-game coach in the Lig” by Boston super-homer Bill Simmons, during the lost season of 05-06?

  • http://www.hbo.com/the-wire/index.html jasondolemite

    @ A2: what does that have anything to do with what we are talking about? you’re now completely off the subject

  • Hedo Turkeyglu

    Yep, but Phil didn’t mention that after KG slapped at Howard, but immediately back peddled looking for a little old lady to hide behind.

  • A2

    Look the point is Red used to do this sh!t all day. No one called him out cos of the bling. Doc used to be compared To Mike Dunleavy and once he got the bling he’s one of the best coaches in the Lig. That’s cool man. Rings have a way of sanitizing your legacy, I get that. But Phil’s still getting criticized for doing the same thing every other coach does, in spite of winning 10 friggin rings? That’s messed up.

  • d’bri

    I’m a Cs fan, but i love that Phil does this stuff. Not for the bulletin board, which is overrated at this point, but just because it’s fun. He’s playing teh refs, same as Doc with the Perk comments. good for them, who cares, let’s play already.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Nash does palm.
    And KG’s elbows were out of line.
    And Utah fouls more than any team in the league.
    And Orlando and Boston set moving screens.
    I’ve rarely seen Phil make an accusation that didn’t have some truth in it. Now, I agree that he’s snarky and conceited, but he’s a millionaire former pro athlete. If he wasn’t conceited it would be a freaking miracle.

  • vtrobot

    @ Hedo: It’s funny how you always remember these situations differently than they actually happen. This is at least the second time you’ve claimed that KG has “run away” after an incident. Watch the replay again. Dwight leaves the scene as KG goes to complain about the call to the ref. You act like KG always does the ‘Melo at the Garden routine. Please show KG some respect on these boards after he helps his team “run away” with the trophy. Thanks, fanboy.

  • LA Huey

    co-sign d’bri and Allenp

  • http://www.jewelzlopez.com -Mas-

    The older he gets the more KG is acting like a grumpy old man on the court. If you ask me I’d just call his attitude more like “acting like a little b**ch” but since no one asked me, I guess I’ll keep it to….Oh forget it.

  • http://kamndestiny@yahoo.com swisha sweet

    boston beat d-wade,lebron james and that overrated magic team wow. Kobe Bryants determination is far greater then any other player in the nba.im predicting a 7 game sereis thats going to get down right nasty. difference maker, Ron Artest the only starter who doesnt have a ring and hes their for 1 reason to guard the other teams best player in the finals. Unlike that magic team their trade was of value and their was a reason behind it.Phil Jackson knew who they would b facin before the season started and that laker team was designed to beat 1 specific team if they ever met in the finals which is boston.

  • JD

    So many whiners around here. basketball is a physical sport – sometimes u get elbowed and whatever – tough shit, that’s what foul calls are for. People can bitch whine all they want – just goes to show how friggn’ soft they are, doesn’t matter how many rings u got, mind game or not – if coaches, fans and players want to make themselves look like little bitches then go ahead. Things like this happens on the court (what KG have been doing were hardly serious enough to cry over), what should be regard as out of line is the detroit vs indiana incident – not these little jibber jabber type shit.

  • The Philosopher

    Phil’s a turdburglar.

  • The Philosopher

    ^I just had to use that one more time^.

  • ÇlydeSays

    I’ve never liked coaches communicating to their players, refs or the league through the media. Just TALK to them. Hate that Jax, Karl, Brown, etc do that, but they’ve all been successful, so who am I to judge?

    Phil is perpetually tweaking the League, the refs, his players, other players, etc. I think Jax enjoys having people’s ears. Now Gasol & Sasha claiming every hack they take is NOT a foul then pouting? That’s dumb.

  • mike

    F*ck Phil

  • T-Money

    Allenp: Oh Nash absolutely does palm the ball. My point was that his tirade did not influence the refs at all.

  • vtrobot

    @ swisha: i hear you re: kobe and that’s why nothing that happens in the lakers favor will surprise me. it’s very likely that some late game kobe heroics will be a big factor in this series. ron ron is going to have a hard time guarding the C’s best player, ’cause they don’t have one.

  • http://www.stuffwhitepeoplelike.com Tarzan Cooper

    Nothing phil does has anything to do with zen. Philosopher, have u been enjoying using that?

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com/ Moose

    Doc is the man.

  • hoodsnake

    This is the absolute last team that he wants to face. They match up better and served him his @ss on a silver platter in 08

  • BostonBaller

    I co-sign vtrobot on Hedo..selective memory syndrome. @swisha, The Lakers actually were getting ready for The Cavs not The Celts this year, they might have been looking for us in 09 but 010 was supposed to be the Great LBJ vs KB24 matchup. I hope ron ron jacks up some more 3′s at bad times. lol. This should be a really good series on the court and in the media.

  • chazz michael michaels

    i dont care how many rings phils got, he has proven to be an idiot…

  • http://slamonline.com JL

    gonna be a fun series! well matched teams!

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