Doc Rivers Reveals the ‘Only Regret’ After Winning 2008 Championship with Boston Celtics

Stories of championship usually go down in a prominent manner in the NBA’s history. Each player and coach has their own way of expressing that moment. Now, Doc Rivers has revealed his reaction to winning the 2008 NBA title as the coach of the Boston Celtics.

If one was to go back to 2008, one would find that the Celtics brought together a set of stars to complete what was popularly known as the ‘Big Three’. Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett blessed the franchise with a championship for the first time after 1986 when Larry Bird had ruled the league.

Rivers served the Celtics from 2004 to 2013. During this time, he got the one-and-only NBA championship of his coaching career in ’08. The Celtics were up against Phil Jackson’s Lakers in the Finals, and this put immense pressure on Doc as a coach. But this didn’t restrict him from achieving what he wished to.

Doc Rivers needed some time alone after winning the title in ’08

In 2008, the Lakers were comprised of some legendary players, including Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Derek Fisher. The Finals were a star-studded affair that ended up in the Celtics’ favor in Game 6 with 4-2. However, Rivers said that if he was to go back to that time to relive it, he would make one major change. He ‘regrets’ not having celebrated that incredible day in the locker room. “The only regret I have, I never went in the locker room. I may be the only coach in the history of sports that didn’t go into the locker room for the celebration… It’s just strange,” he said.

Doc himself talked about the reasons behind his locker room absence on the Netflix documentary, ‘The Playbook’. He also took viewers on a walk through that day and how he celebrated it in his own office while the team opened a bottle of champagne in the locker room.

Winning a championship is a huge accomplishment for every individual involved in the process. Then why didn’t Rivers celebrate this achievement with his then team? Here’s what Doc had to say:

“I don’t know. I really don’t. You know, my dad had died, and I just needed some time alone. So, I actually went in my office, closed the door for about 20 minutes. Cried a little bit, smoked an amazing cigar that Red Auerbach had given me. I always kept it in my desk. I don’t smoke cigars. Uh, I was sick later because of that damn cigar. So, the champagne celebration, it was coachless. That’s a regret… The next time we win, I’ll be front and center.”

Doc is currently the coach for the LA Clippers. It is unclear when he’ll get his next championship win, but should that happen, Rivers will be sure to have a locker room celebration with his team.