BOSTON — When Doc Rivers left the Boston Celtics for greener pastures in 2013, it was in part because he didn’t want to go through another rebuild.
But when Rivers returns to TD Garden on Wednesday night as head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, he’ll face a Celtics team that’s turned things around in a hurry.
After winning just 25 games in Brad Stevens’ first season as head coach, Boston won 40 games last season to sneak into the playoffs. The C’s have even higher aspirations in this campaign, entering Wednesday as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 31-23 record.
And that’s not even mentioning the treasure chest of draft picks Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has acquired over the last several seasons.
Boston’s rebuild is by no means complete, and several big decisions still lie ahead, particularly as the Feb. 18 trade deadline approaches. But if you ask Rivers, the ex-Celtics coach thinks that compared to a few other teams, the C’s are in excellent shape.
“They’re in a great spot,” Rivers said Wednesday at the Clippers’ shootaround. “They’re playing winning basketball. They’re tough to play because they’re 12 deep. They clearly have a lot of decisions to make in the next year or two, but they’re in a really good place.
“I don’t want to get into other teams, but when you look at them compared to other teams that are ‘in a rebuild,’ it’s not even close. I just think they’re in a really good place to take a huge next step.”
According to Rivers, the Celtics’ ability to rebuild so quickly is a testament to the man who succeeded him in Boston.
“He’s good,” Rivers said of Stevens. “He’s a heck of a coach, I think one of the best coaches in the league. Love his offense, love his movements. I just like everything about him. Great guy. He’s one of the best.”
There’s still work to be done for Stevens to accomplish what Rivers did and bring another title to Boston. But seeing as Rivers’ record actually got worse in each of his first three seasons with the Celtics, it appears the young head coach is on the right track.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
