Doc Rivers: The Bob Boone of Basketball

Bob who?

Yes, that Bob Boone, the former All-Star catcher cum manager. Boone was a highly respected thinker on the sport of baseball. If there was such a thing as a baseball "think tank," he would have been a founding member. He had mastered every angle in every situation imaginable.

So where is he now?

Exactly.

He over did it.

Or did he? Maybe he just didn't have the talent.

Either way, he gave micromanagement a bad name.

Enter Doc Rivers.

Remember the pre-KG days? Hey, Doc, what are ya doin'? This isn't hockey, dude. Would you please leave the fellas in for longer than 3-minute stretches? And, when you do, can you leave the same players in for those stretches?

You think that Doc Rivers disappeared when #5 came on board?

Think again.

The other day I wrote a piece hinting that maybe Doc should insert Gabe Pruitt into the lineup while TA was sidelined, and not just in garbage time. I watched the Portland game again, and, sure enough, Doc did just that.

It wasn't for very long, but long enough. Let's see what you got, Gabe, and if you don't knock my socks off, out you'll come.

Where have we seen that before?

Big Baby didn't play much before his break-out game against Detroit last year, and didn't play a bunch immediately thereafter. Why? He didn't show Doc he had much to offer in the other situations. And don't forget Leon Powe. Remember his 21 points during 15 minutes of Game 2 against the Lakers? Well, he played again in Game 3, but when he didn't come up big, out he came.

The point here is that Doc continues to tinker and experiment at a very granular level.

Micromanagement may be making a comeback.