Doc Rivers Talks Big Baby, New Contract, & Paul Pierce Off Bench Possibility

Posted by Brian Robb on May 16, 2011 2059414 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2011%2F05%2F16%2Fdoc-rivers-talks-big-baby-new-contract-paul-pierce-off-bench-possibility%2FDoc+Rivers+Talks+Big+Baby%2C+New+Contract%2C+%26+Paul+Pierce+Off+Bench+Possibility2011-05-16+14%3A55%3A45Brian+Robbhttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D20594

Doc Rivers was interviewed on Dennis and Callahan this morning over on WEEI and hit on a number of topics from his loyalty to the C’s, to what affected Glen Davis’ slump during the last two months of the season. Here’s a sample of a few responses:

On Glen Davis:

“I thought it was more in between his ears than his play. I thought the whole contract thing affected his play. I thought he had the wrong focus at times because of that. I think when you stray away from just being a team player and being the role that you’re given, I think you struggle. I think all players do. And I thought Baby did that.

“I thought scoring was way too important to him, instead of being who he is. Baby’s never going to be a great scorer in our league, but he can score. What Baby has to be is an energy player, a guy who takes charges.”

That said, Rivers insisted he’d still like to see Davis return to Boston.

“Yeah, if we get him for the right price,” he said. “I think it would be nice, but we can’t overpay. That will be up to Danny and Wyc [Grousbeck] and them. That’s one of the things I stay out of, at least I try to.

“We’ve got to get him back in the right frame of mind. And that’s the way he was the last 20 games. Baby’s a good basketball player. He can help us or any other team. But, to me, only if he plays the right way.”

On Future Rebuilding:

“I don’t think anyone’s looking forward to that, but I’m willing to do that,” he said. “I had a group that has been very loyal to me. I think it would have been very easy for me to just run and go somewhere else and chase something else.”

Added Rivers: “It would have been easier to do it the other way; I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do. Coaches talk about loyalty and team all the time. I just thought it was time to show it. And that’s what I did.”

On rumors he was going to take a year off:

“Last year, they were probably more right,” he said. “Last year I was absolutely leaning that way. This year I really never was. After last year’s summer and going through the decision that we went through, I was pretty sure I was coming back and I was pretty sure I wanted to come back here.

You can check out the full transcript at WEEI