Regards flowing for Rivers

Fratello says he's NBA's top coach

After putting his team through the paces during yesterday's practice, Doc Rivers put himself front and center for the media to talk about preparation for Sunday's playoff opener. (Stephan Savoia/Associated Press)

Former NBA coach Mike Fratello has heard New Orleans's Byron Scott, the Lakers' Phil Jackson, Philadelphia's Maurice Cheeks, and Houston's Rick Adelman mentioned as candidates for Coach of the Year. But Fratello sees no better choice than his old Hawks point guard, Doc Rivers.

"How much more can you do? The guy's got [66] wins. He's done it since the beginning of the year," said Fratello as the Celtics prepared to play the Hawks Sunday night at 8:30 at TD Banknorth Garden in the first round of the playoffs.

Rivers played for Fratello from 1983-90. Rivers has said he feels most connected to the Hawks because they drafted him and he played eight seasons there. He was named the Eastern Conference's Coach of the Month for April yesterday, the third time he received the award this season.

But when Rivers was playing, long before he was the 1999-2000 NBA Coach of the Year with Orlando or began roaming the Celtics' sideline, he often picked Fratello's brain. Such qualities make Fratello far from surprised Rivers is coaching now.

"Very inquisitive. Wasn't afraid to ask you something," said Fratello, who will call Game 1 as an analyst for TNT. "He was listening, hearing, and trying to take something away he could use through the course of the game.

"I don't think there is any question that Doc had the leadership qualities; he was a student of the game, he was always well prepared, always asked questions. If it wasn't clear or there were any gray areas left, he was quick to jump on it and ask about it."

Fratello said Rivers was fortunate to play for other great coaches, including Hall of Famers Larry Brown (with the Clippers) and Pat Riley (with New York).

"Just go through the coaches he played for after he left [Atlanta], you're talking about some very special people he was exposed to," Fratello said. "Doc's the kind of guy that would pick and choose and take the best things from the guys he felt were good and wanted to implement into his coaching style."

When asked what he learned from Fratello, Rivers said, "His defensive preparation was as good as it got, in my opinion. Everything I do is from somebody, from one of those guys."

During the Hawks' heyday in the late 1980s, Fratello coached Rivers, Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, Kevin Willis, John Battle, Randy Wittman, Cliff Levingston, Antoine Carr, and Spud Webb. But even with those stars, Rivers has him beat this season.

The Celtics have three All-Stars in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. Boston entered the season with nine new players, including forward James Posey, who won an NBA title with Miami. Rivers also had to mesh in P.J. Brown and Sam Cassell after the All-Star break. During the regular season, the Celtics won a league-best 66 games, had the biggest turnaround in NBA history after winning 24 games last season, and were the only team to reach the 60-win mark.

"From a coaching standpoint, [Rivers is] a great coach," said Wilkins, who is the Hawks' vice president of basketball. "To bring in the guys that he has brought together on that team, to go [from] 24 [wins] to [66] in one year. You don't get there just on talent alone. You need a system that can work for you. And this system works."

Garnett and Pierce echoed Wilkins's sentiments following the season-finale victory over New Jersey Wednesday. Pierce described it as "work" to coach a star-studded squad and added that Rivers managed it without major drama.

"I watch ESPN and read the articles and they talk about guys and he really hasn't been mentioned for Coach of the Year," Pierce said. "People don't understand what comes along with putting together a whole new team, meshing the egos of players that you have on this team. That's work. People assume that when you got Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen that this is going to be a great team.

"The coaches have to do a job trying to maintain the different kind of attitudes. Maintaining the egos on a day-in and day-out basis. Usually with a team you have turmoil through the course of a long season and you have a lot of team meetings that are held within the players. Because of Doc, that has been limited on this team. I can't remember, but we had just one in-house meeting where players came together.

"A lot of credit goes to Doc for keeping the guys focused day in and day out and meshing us on the floor, where we get the most of everybody on this squad."

When asked to describe Rivers's importance to the team's success Garnett simply said, "Everything." Garnett added Rivers is "going to get us to where we need to be."

"Doc's very straight up," Garnett said. "You know where he's coming from. There's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. He doesn't care who you are, what you've done in this league. For this type of team, if he feels like we are not playing our hardest or he can get more out of us, he says it. He doesn't cater to anyone on this team."

Fratello doesn't have a vote for Coach of the Year. But if he did, his inquisitive former point guard would easily be his choice.

"Why wouldn't I? I love Doc Rivers," Fratello said.

Marc J. Spears can be reached at mspears@globe.com