Doc Rivers Is Making An Impact on DeAndre Jordan

Aside from having an NBA Championship on his resume, Rivers is one of the best teachers and motivators in basketball. In 2008, the Celtics had the deepest team in the NBA, but Rivers was able to have center Kevin Garnett, shooting guard Ray Allen, and small forward Paul Pierce check their egos at the door in order to collaborate for a title. When Rivers arrived in Los Angeles he was once again handed a deep and talented team with the Clippers. Rivers teaching skills are once a being put on display this season as you can see the improvements in the game of Jordan.

Last season was the first season in which Jordan appeared in all 82 regular season games as he averaged 8.8 points and 7.2 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per game. This season Rivers has put more trust in Jordan as his minutes are up as he is averaging 35.1 minutes per game. Jordan isn’t just running up and down the basketball court just to get his cardio in for the day. This season Jordan is averaging a career high in points with 9.5 and he is currently leading the NBA in rebounds with 13.4 per game. Jordan’s 2.5 blocks per game are currently third in the NBA as he has become a deterrent for Clipper opponents who think that they can score an easy basket.

Rivers was still under contract with the Celtics and thus he could not just skip town as the Clippers would need to send some compensation back to Boston. Initially the Celtics wanted Jordan in exchange for Rivers, but NBA commissioner David Stern intervened and the Clippers are happy that he did. The Clippers and Celtics ended up reaching an agreement where Boston would receive a 2015 unprotected first round pick in exchange for letting Rivers out of his contract. 

This month alone Jordan is averaging 11.4 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per game. The two games that have highlighted Jordan’s month are the January 3 contest against the Dallas Mavericks where Jordan went for 25 points and 18 rebounds in a 119-112 victory for the Clippers and the January 6th affair versus the Orlando Magic where Jordan went for 14 points, 17 rebounds, and 8 blocks in the Clippers 101-81 victory.

Rivers is doing what good coaches do which is maximizing a players talent. For the Clippers to contend to for an NBA Championship it cannot just be point guard Chris Paul running the show. Griffin is improving his overall game as well, but I doubt that Rivers fully trusts him coming down the stretch of ballgames as of yet. I am not saying that Jordan is going to be Mr. Clutch for the Clippers, but now with the extended minutes, Rivers does trust him to be on the floor in the fourth quarter. Jordan is not a viable offensive option, but his defensive skills and rebounding will be key for the Clippers in the Western Conference Playoffs. To ultimately get to where they want to go the Clippers will more than likely have to go through the San Antonio Spurs and power forward Tim Duncan, the Portland Trailblazers and power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, or the Houston Rockets and center Dwight Howard. It will be important for Jordan and his 6’11”, 250 lbs. frame to remain out of foul trouble and give Rivers a big body to throw at the likes of Duncan, Aldridge, and Howard; especially late in games.

With his emergence as a force for the Clippers, Jordan is a logical candidate to be selected as the NBA’s Most Improved Player at the midway point of the season. Sometimes holding on to your assets for the long haul is the best thing to do. Sacks stuck with Jordan and has now allowed Rivers to mold him as the Clippers are seeing the results on the basketball court.

Source: Basketball-reference.com