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Doc Rivers has reached a major NBA coaching milestone with his 1,000th win via an impressive road victory vs.a much-improved Chicago Bulls.
The win had to be especially sweet for the coach given Doc Rivers is from Chicago. The former point guard -- who played 14 seasons in the NBA mainly with the Atlanta Hawks -- won an NBA championship as a head coach with the Boston Celtics in 2008.
Doc Rivers who has another Finals appearance to his Boston Celtics head coaching credit, changed the culture in his time with the Los Angeles Clippers, and has built a consistent winner in Philadelphia despite all the ongoing drama with Ben Simmons.
He was a political science major at Marquette -- from where he graduated in 1985. Doc Rivers was the 31st pick in the 1983 NBA draft and made one All-Star team. The 1999-00 NBA Coach of the Year has 23 years as a head coach under his belt, so let's look at his top 5 moments as one of the best coaches of his era.
#5 Doc Rivers gets his first NBA win on November 3, 1999 vs. the Detroit Pistons 103-94
The Orlando Magic finished 41-41 in Doc Rivers' 1st season. He was named NBA Coach of the Year for adding stability to a Magic team mired in ineptitude. Pat Garrity scored 20 points, and Darrell Armstrong had 17 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals in the win.
Current Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams scored 12 for Orlando. The Pistons were paced by Grant Hill's 30 points, and his former Duke Blue Devils teammate Christian Laettner had 18 points.
#4 Boston Celtics close out Detroit Pistons 89-81 on May 30, 2008
Paul Pierce had 27 points and 8 rebounds, Ray Allen scored 17 and Kevin Garnett had 16 points and 6 rebounds as the Boston Celtics closed out the Detroit Pistons on the way to their 17th NBA championship.
The Celtics overcame a 10-point deficit in the 4th quarter, as the Detroit Pistons lost in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals for the 3rd time in as many years. It would be the Celtics' first trip back to the NBA Finals since 1987, and their most heated rival, the Los Angeles Lakers, was their opponent.
#3 Doc Rivers and the Boston Celtics return to the NBA Finals defeating the Orlando Magic 96-84 on May 27, 2010
Doc Rivers had to scramble to pull this one off. Nate Robinson took over for an injured Rajon Rondo and propelled the Boston Celtics into the 2010 NBA Finals. Robinson's 13 second-quarter points gave the Celtics a lift after Rondo went down and Paul Pierce had 31 points and 13 rebounds.
With the win the Celtics earned their 2nd NBA Finals appearance in 3 years. Dwight Howard had 28 points and 12 rebounds, and Vince Carter had 17 for the Magic -- who could not overcome Nate Robinson's energetic contribution. It was at this moment that Doc Rivers told the world that he was a top-level NBA head coach.
#2 Doc Rivers gets his first NBA Finals win in the infamous 'wheel chair game' vs. the Los Angeles Lakers, 98-88, on June 8, 2008
In a classic match in Game 1 of the 2008 NBA Finals, Doc Rivers and his Boston Celtics were looking to complete a mission that seemed inevitable. Boston was the best team all season, and Paul Pierce (28 points/8rebounds, Ray Allen (17 points) and Kevin Garnett (17 points/14 rebounds) were locked and loaded to prove their season was no fluke.
The new Boston Garden was as loud as I've ever heard an NBA arena to be and the game lived up to all the excitement. After what was then known as a Paul Pierce knee injury, the Celtics forward came out of the tunnel to hit two big threes late to carry Boston to victory in Game 1, 98-88. Kobe Bryant had 30 points and 8 assists, and Pau Gasol 17 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
#1 Boston Celtics defeat Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers 131-92 to win Doc Rivers' first NBA championship on June 16, 2008
Kevin Garnett had 26 points and 14 rebounds, Paul Pierce had 17 points and 10 dimes and Ray Allen scored 26 points to rout the Los Angeles Lakers 131-92 at the TD North Garden and become the last NBA team standing in 2008.
Game 6 was never in any doubt, and everything seemed to click for Boston -- who won their 17th NBA championship over a bitter rival the Celtics hadn't faced since 1987. Kobe Bryant scored 22 for the Lakers. It was a return of two classic NBA franchises in the NBA Finals, and that Doc Rivers was able to bring the NBA title back to Boston is a testament to his NBA acumen and will.
Guess the Lakers players!
