Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers makes his return to Boston for the first time since leaving the Celtics Wednesday evening and spoke about his choice to leave the organization with CBS Boston radio hosts Mike Felger and Tony Masssarotti. Rivers admitted to making the "difficult decision" to walk away from the organization, though he was also considering taking time off unless the right opportunity presented itself:
Doc Rivers explains why he left Celtics to coach Clippers
Rivers spoke about leaving the Celtics organization and acknowledged he made the decision to walk from the organization.
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Rivers signed a five-year extension with Boston in 2011, prepared to go through the next rebuilding phase of the franchise. After skipping town for the Clippers last year, some (or most) fans feel that Rivers walked out on the team.
“I did at the end of the day,” Rivers admitted. “You make choices in your life, it happens ... It was a very difficult decision for me to make; whether to walk away and sit a couple of years, which was another way I was leaning, or if the right job presented itself to walk away and do that.”
The Clippers went on to acquire Rivers and sign him to a three-year, $21 million deal to make him both head coach and senior vice president for player personnel, presenting him with the “right job” to continue working in the NBA.
Celticsblog: The Celtics and player development
Boston went on to sign head coach Brad Stevens from his college post with the Butler Bulldogs and the team currently leads the Atlantic Division with a 10-13 record despite trading both Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce over the summer while Rajon Rondo continues working back from tearing his ACL.
Rivers said he felt it was the “right time” for everyone involved to move on and expects coaching against the Celtics in Boston to be “emotional” Wednesday.
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