Even though the Clippers took a loss to the Lakers last night on opening night, there is still a lot of season left to play. Doc Rivers is banking on the Clippers being in the hunt for a title this year and even admits he has looked at parade routes via NBA.com:
The information gathering began, Doc Rivers said, four days after he was hired as coach and head of basketball operations for the Clippers. He wanted to learn more about parades. Championship parades. Championship parades for the Clippers.
He couldn’t follow his Boston formula of tracing the route the Patriots took and using it once he coached the Celtics to the 2008 title. He certainly wouldn’t copy the Lakers’ path through downtown, not when the whole point is for the Clippers to hammer out their own identity. Maybe the NHL’s Kings. Rivers could have road tested Lord Stanley’s 2012 ride. And he never would have guessed that teams have to pay at least part of the bill for the celebration.
“I’ve researched enough to know what we can do,” he said.
Anyone could have guessed that they wouldn’t take the Lakers route since the Lakers organization probably has it memorized since they win so much. Also since the Clippers were petty enough to cover the Lakers Championship banners.
Is this a case of changing the culture or arrogance on Doc’s part? It’s shocking to me that he would admit this.