Doc Rivers Could Be Coaching At the All-Star Game

by Daniel Popko on Fri, Jan 29, 2010 at 3:38PM

If things go the Celtics' way, they could be sending a few more representatives to the NBA All-Star Game.

No, David Stern didn't decide that the Eastern Conference All-Stars should feature the likes of Bill Walker and Brian Scalabrine, but Doc Rivers, Tom Thibodeau and the rest of the Celtics' coaching staff could be on the bench when the NBA’s best gather in Dallas on Feb. 14.

The team with the conference's best record gets the honor of coaching the best players. Even though the Celtics trail the Cavaliers by five games, Rivers could get the call since Mike Brown and company are ineligible after coaching the game last year.

Boston has a thin half-game lead on the Magic (who beat the Celtics on Thursday) and the Hawks (who play the Celtics on Friday), so Stan Van Gundy or Mike Woodson could find themselves coaching LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and friends. If Rivers is to be taken at his word, that wouldn't be a bad thing, even though it would mean the Celtics have dropped to third or fourth in the East.

"I always say I'll take the honor, but I think we all would rather have the rest," Rivers told the Boston Herald. "I don't think there’s a coach alive who wouldn’t rather have that. … But for coaches, the honor is nice. It means your team is playing well. But other than that, you'd rather have the break."

The Celtics will be represented in the game by three players: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo.