Doc receives extension; Deal through 2010-11 season, at $5.5M per year.Byline: Howard UlmanBOSTON - Doc Rivers Glenn Anton "Doc" Rivers (born October 13 1961, in Chicago, Illinois) is a retired American professional basketball player from Marquette University who played point guard in the National Basketball Association for the Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks, and San received a contract extension giving him three more years as coach of the Boston Celtics yesterday after leading them to an NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= title one year following the second worst season in team history. Rivers' contract, which had one year left, was extended through the 2010-11 season at an annual salary of about $5.5 million, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a person familiar with the deal who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team does not release contract details. Rivers coached the Celtics to their NBA record 17th championship and their first in 22 years in his fourth season as coach. Their 66-16 regular record was the best in the NBA and third best in club history. They were 45-37 in his first season but just 24-58 in his third. The one-year, 42-win turnaround from that is a league record. "He can handle the pressure of having to go through losses. He was extremely even keel in the worst periods," Steve Pagliuca, an owner and managing partner of the team, told The Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. . The fortunes of the team turned around when it obtained guard Ray Allen Not to be confused with Ray Alan or Allan Ray. Walter Ray Allen (born July 20, 1975) is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Boston Celtics, for whom he plays shooting guard. He has also played for the Milwaukee Bucks and Seattle SuperSonics. from Seattle and forward Kevin Garnett Kevin Garnett (born May 19, 1976) is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Boston Celtics. The 6 ft 11 in, 220 lb (0 kg) power forward is regarded as one of the best all around players in the game today. from Minnesota in separate trades before last season. The deals cost them several young players they had stockpiled, including Al Jefferson Albus Jefferson (born January 4, 1985 in Monticello, Mississippi) is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA. High school career Jefferson attended Prentiss High School in Prentiss, Mississippi. , who was developing into an outstanding forward. But Rivers proved as adept at leading veteran stars as he was at teaching inexperienced players. That was one major reason the Celtics decided to extend his contract. "We felt that Doc did an outstanding job ever since he's been here with the young players and transforming the veterans we have into a championship team," Pagliuca said. The Celtics lost forward James Posey James Mikely Mantell Posey, Jr. (born January 13 1977 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American professional basketball player, currently playing small forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. to free agency but are optimistic about draft choices J.R. Giddens, a guard, and Billy Walker, a forward. The entire starting lineup of Garnett, Allen, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins returns. "Doc molded a championship team last season through his leadership, and we are confident that he is the man to lead this franchise on the court now and in the future," general manager Danny Ainge said in a statement. In his four seasons as coach of the Celtics, Rivers is 168-160. "He's extremely team oriented in everything that he does so he wants the focus to be on the players," Pagliuca said. "He's a great teacher of young guys, and because he was an NBA All-Star and very well respected point guard player, he's had an unbelievably good rapport with the superstars. He knows how to handle them, and he knows how to really bring young players along." ART: PHOTO CUTLINE: Doc Rivers |
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