Doc Rivers Told Chris Paul He Hasn’t Done Anything in the NBA

LA Clippers head coach Doc Rivers introduced himself to his star player in the bluntest way imaginable — Chris Paul says that Rivers shrugged off the point guard’s career to this point, since CP3 hasn’t won big. Not yet, anyway. Per the LA Times: “The pleasantries quickly gave way to a more sobering discussion when Doc Rivers first met with Chris Paul. Topics of conversation did not include Paul’s six All-Star game appearances, his unmatched ability to close out games or his status as possibly the best point guard in the NBA. ‘He pretty much told me I wasn’t anything,’ Paul said Monday during the Clippers’ annual media day. ‘He told me I hadn’t done anything, and he was right.’ Welcome to life with the league’s most painfully sincere coach. Hard questions can be asked. Perceptions of one’s self can change. Feelings can be hurt. But here’s the thing: Championships can be won. ‘I’m honest,’ Rivers said in the biggest understatement of the day. For a Clippers franchise that has never gotten to the conference finals, Rivers’ candor is as alluring as the new light-blue alternate uniforms the team unveiled. His frankness grabs your attention like an open parking space in a dusty media lot suddenly overrun by reporters drawn to the buzz of the most captivating team in Los Angeles. ‘He’s been straight-up, he’s been very real and when he talks you can tell he has the attention of everybody,’ super-sub Jamal Crawford said. ‘Winning that championship, being there contending, he did it as a player and now as a coach. He has everyone’s respect.’ Not that it’s always fun to hear what Rivers has to say. He told DeAndre Jordan that he should contend for NBA defensive player of the year. He told Blake Griffin that he needed to develop his face-up offensive game. He told Paul that he could help him improve on both sides of the ball. ‘Until somebody goes 100% from the field or stops someone every time on defense,’ Paul said, ‘you can always get better and I feel like Doc along with our staff is doing everything possible to help us get better.'”