The Danny and Doc partnership is starting to pile up a few miles. It’s Year 8 now, with no outward sign of discord.
“I love Doc as a coach,’’ says Danny Ainge, who carries the title of Celtics president of basketball operations. “I trust him. I trust him as a leader and a winner.’’
“We won’t throw each other under the bus,’’ says coach Doc Rivers. “We’ve both made mistakes. We’re both argumentative. We can debate all day and then go play golf, go to dinner, and then go to war.’’
It turns out that Danny had his eye on Doc for a long time.
“He was such a competitor,’’ Ainge says, referring to Doc’s playing days with Atlanta (where he spent his first eight years in the league), then Los Angeles (Clippers), New York, and San Antonio. “He was clever, cagey, and just a tough guy to play against. And I watched him when I was a TV guy do such a great job in Orlando with no coaching experience.’’
Danny and Doc as players: It’s an interesting comparison. They were good, sometimes very good, NBA players. You can’t talk Hall of Fame, but you can certainly classify each as a fine NBA guard.
Danny got there first, making his debut in the 1981-82 season and going on to log 1,042 regular-season and 193 playoff games for Boston, Sacramento, Portland, and Phoenix. Doc, whose later years were marked by injury, broke in with the Hawks in the ’83-84 season, finishing up as a Spur in 1996 with 864 regular-season and 81 playoff games. Clearly, Danny got the better breaks with regard to health and teammates.
Each was listed at 6 feet 4 inches. Doc was stronger. Danny was quicker. Doc had to make a difficult transition from college off guard to NBA point guard. Danny was never easily categorizable as a player, but you’d have to say he was more a 2 guard who could handle the ball, rather than a point guard who could shoot. Doc had 690 more assists in 178 fewer NBA games.
What Danny had that Doc did not was a great capacity to shoot the 3-pointer. That was his calling card, for sure. Danny finished his career with 1,002 regular-season threes, plus 172 more in the playoffs. Doc’s totals were 361 and 50, respectively.
Strangely, each man participated in one, and only one, All-Star Game - and it was the same one!
Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers were members of the 1988 victorious East team in Chicago. Danny played 19 minutes, going 4 for 11 from the floor - but 3 for 4 on threes - finishing with 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. Doc played 16 minutes, shooting 2 for 4, finishing with 9 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists. But Doc was 5 for 11 from the foul line! I was there, but I don’t recall anyone shaking the basket when Doc stepped to the line.
Anyway, that was their All-Star résumé.
