Doc Rivers is the answer for the Los Angeles Clippers, and he's what Chris Paul and Blake Griffin need to push their games to another level. Rivers' no-nonsense approach, from covering up banners to calling out Paul, and his emphasis on defense will be the catalyst to transform the Clippers from a talented team into a championship-caliber team.
Rivers brought a new attitude to the Clippers. He set the tone early for his tenure in Los Angeles when he ordered the Lakers' banners to be covered during the Clippers' home games, and he showed he's not afraid of confrontation by calling out Paul and telling the perennial All-Star he hasn't really accomplished anything yet.
It's exactly what the team needs.
Rivers will push his team to be better, to be tougher, and he'll hold every player accountable. Equally as important, Rivers will instill a defensive mindset into the team just as he did with the Boston Celtics.
"When a team does get it on either end, you can see them play better," Rivers said, via the L.A. Times. "They are free now. They don't have a lot of thought anymore. And that's what we're trying to get on both ends."
The NBA championship-winning coach recognizes the talent and athleticism on his roster. Rivers believes becoming a defensive-minded team, however, will be the thing that pushes the Clippers over the hump and turn them into a legitimate title contender.
It starts with buying in to the concept.
"Defensively, this is what I've learned: We can be really good, but we're not at all yet," said Rivers. "I look at our personnel and our athleticism, and I think we could be a really good defensive team. But as the game [against the Lakers showed] we're such a long ways away... And that's just a trust thing."
He went on to emphasize the importance of defensive continuity and the players coming together as a team and trusting each other, something Rivers admitted they still have to work toward.
"We're not there yet," Rivers said, "but we will be."
Rivers' influence showed on Thursday against the Golden State Warriors. The Clippers' defense forced 24 turnovers from the Warriors, including 11 from Stephen Curry. When Golden State would close in on the lead, Rivers could be seen screaming from the sideline at his players and urging them to keep on the throttle.
Los Angeles went on to win the game, 126-115. Now at 1-1 and with a lot of basketball ahead, Rivers has plenty of time to transform the Clippers into a defense-minded team that trusts both the concepts and each other.
