Glenn “Big Baby” Davis hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2014-15 season, but that isn’t stopping him from voicing his opinion. The former Celtics big man played under Coach Doc Rivers for six years, but he’s not a fan. Big Baby appeared on Chris Broussard’s podcast “In The Zone With Chris Broussard” and roasted his former coach. Referring to Rivers as “lucky as hell” and “overrated” Davis wasn’t holding anything back. Here are some of the highlights..
“What Doc had in ’08 was special and he was lucky as hell. Lucky as hell. The year before that they was wearing trash bags,” Davis said. “But then the next year they win it, now he is one of the best coaches ever? I’m just not feeling that. You know what I mean? You give credit to KG [Kevin Garnett]. You give credit to Paul Pierce. You give credit to Ray Allen. Those are the guys who made sure whatever Doc needed to be done, got done.
“And see now it’s easy for Doc to do his job. And then you give credit to [GM] Danny Ainge. That’s the one you give credit to. Because I know multiple times [Ainge] had to talk to Doc, just to say ‘Hey, Doc, leave ’em alone. Hey, Doc, ease up.’
BIG BABY throwing punches! Man, I never thought I would agree with the former round LSU star this much, but I really do. I have always thought Doc Rivers was soooo overrated as a coach. He always received so much undeserved praise in my eyes and usually had very talented teams. Basically ever since the original “Big 3” was created he’s had a great team and has done nothing. No one ever discusses Rivers first 3 seasons in Boston. He was terrible, sure his team wasn’t great, but he still had Paul Pierce. He coached those teams to a combined 102-144 record. With losses increasing in each of those years, ending with 58 the season prior to the arrival of the “Boston 3 party.” Great coaches are supposed to make bad teams better. Doc didnt do that until season FOUR when he was handed 3 Hall of Famers and a perrenial All -Star point guard. As Davis said he won that title, but other than that what has he done?? Oh, that’s right, nothing! Rivers has been good in the regular season, but what coach isn’t when they have stacked teams? The fact that he only won one title with three future Hall of Famers plus rondo, (back when he was good), is SAD!
Also, the fact that he has done essentially nothing with this extremely talented Clippers roster is pathetic. The Clippers have had the likes of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, J.J Reddick, and Jamaal Crawford as their core for years now. Very talented group, yet Doc is just 15-18 in the playoffs with them. Also never having even made the Western Conference Finals. I would like to think that even a decent to average coach would do something with this team.
If that’s not enough for you though there’s more. Doc has done something no other coach has ever done in the history of the playoffs. I’ll give you a hint, it doesn’t involve winning. Believe it or not, Doc is the only coach to ever blow multiple 3-1 series leads. First, in 2003, led by Tracy McGrady the Orlando Magic blew a 3-1 lead to the Detroit Pistons. Then again, in 2015 with the LA Clippers, they absolutely fell apart in an embarrassing fashion to the Houston Rockets. Coaches are supposed to the lead motivators of their team, no? Seems like Doc is unable to do so and is easily complacent with little to no success as his teams crumble. Let’s not forgot T-Mac saying “it feels great to make it to the second round” after being up 3-1 on the Pistons in 03′. Blowing leads in games 5 and 6 to only be blown out in game 7, just flat out embarrassing.
So it really doesn’t make sense to me how people in the basketball world are always sipping on the Doc Rivers Kool-Aid. But, no I’m good I’ll pass on the mediocrity and 3-1 leads being blown. I’ll take Davis’s word for it as well. Being that he had two stints with him as well, four seasons in Boston and two in LA. Now I’m not saying that he’s a bad person or anything personal at all. Just that he’s beyond overrated. Same with Davis, he referred to him as a “great guy” and I believe it. But man I am glad someone FINALLY came out with the cold hard truth. Doc Rivers is not a great coach and it’s even better coming from one of his ex-players.
