Jacque Vaughn carried out for Doc Rivers as some extent guard on the 2002-03 Orlando Magic. On Saturday, Vaughn and Rivers will compete in direction of each other as head coaches as a result of the Nets and 76ers kick off their first-round playoff assortment in Philadelphia.
Vaughn often known as it a “luxurious” to play and be taught beneath Rivers and talked about he’s recognized the Sixers’ coach for a really very long time.
“Super quantity of respect and what number of video games he’s coached and the way in which he’s completed it; received at a excessive degree and been capable of do it with totally different teams,” the Nets’ coach talked about after Tuesday’s observe. “Reveals you the way good he’s. I feel general, he has a command of his workforce.”
Vaughn talked about he found from Rivers learn the way to educate superstars, which obtained right here in hand when he assumed the top instructing submit after Steve Nash’s dismissal seven video video games into the season. He was thrust right into a job that required major two NBA superstars in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The experiment solely lasted until days sooner than the commerce deadline, when Irving requested a commerce, nevertheless the outcomes have been fruitful.
After a 2-5 start to the season, Vaughn’s Nets amassed a 31-20 file sooner than Irving’s remaining sport in Brooklyn.
The roots, nonetheless, have been laid in Orlando on a Magic group coached by Rivers nevertheless headlined by Tracy McGrady, a well-known one that averaged 32.7 components per sport on the season. The Nets coach appeared in 80 video video games and averaged six components, three assists and a steal beneath Rivers and alongside McGrady that 12 months.
“[Doc] is aware of how you can talk with guys,” Vaughn talked about. “So I realized that — at the moment — Tracy McGrady was the star on our workforce. How do you discuss to your stars in your workforce? How do you retain them accountable? However how do you like and proceed to push the remainder of the group. So I realized so much from him.”
Vaughn, nonetheless, beneficial which may be the extent of his relationship with Rivers.
“I didn’t say I do know him that properly,” he talked about shortly after. “I mentioned I had an amazing quantity of respect for him. I do know him as a coach, however I don’t suppose we’re each going to get Philly cheese steaks once we’re happening there. That’s for certain.”
Requested if he thought Rivers’ son-in-law Seth Curry — who was traded to Brooklyn inside the deal for James Harden — would get cheesesteaks with Rivers, Vaughn sidestepped the question.
“Undecided about that,” he talked about. “That’s a household factor, now. I don’t contact household now! I don’t mess with household!”
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