Doc Rivers is Mere Moments Away From Winning an NBA Title

It's early yet, but with the Boston Celtics holding a 25-point lead in the third quarter of Game Six of the NBA Finals, it certainly appears as though the Celtics will win the 2008 NBA Championship. Their coach is Doc Rivers, who helmed the Magic for four-plus seasons during the start of this decade. So, how should we Magic fans feel about Rivers' impending victory?

I don't care at all.

Magic antagonists will say that Rivers is simply the latest former member of the Magic organization to enjoy success, joining the likes of Chauncey Billups; Ben Wallace; Shaquille O'Neal; and to a much lesser extent, Steve Kerr. But the Magic canned Rivers when his Magic, under his "direction," started the 2003/2004 season with a 1-10 record. His all-time record with the Magic is 171-168, literally slightly above-average. Why, again, should we regret firing this middle-of-the-road coach who relies too heavily on motivational tactics and not enough on strategy? Would the Magic be better off with Rivers coaching them than with Stan Van Gundy doing the same?

Yeah, I didn't think so.

Congratulations to Rivers, the Celtics, and their fans on a championship well-earned. But we shouldn't hold anything against the Magic for doing what they had to do four years ago when they handed Rivers his pink slip.