Jacque Vaughn performed for Doc Rivers as some extent guard on the 2002-03 Orlando Magic. On Saturday, Vaughn and Rivers will compete towards one another as head coaches because the Nets and 76ers kick off their first-round playoff collection in Philadelphia.
Vaughn known as it a “luxury” to play and be taught below Rivers and mentioned he’s identified the Sixers’ coach for a very long time.
“Tremendous amount of respect and how many games he’s coached and the way he’s done it; won at a high level and been able to do it with different groups,” the Nets’ coach mentioned after Tuesday’s observe. “Shows you how good he is. I think overall, he has a command of his team.”
Vaughn mentioned he discovered from Rivers find out how to coach superstars, which got here in hand when he assumed the pinnacle teaching submit after Steve Nash’s dismissal seven video games into the season. He was thrust into a job that required main two NBA superstars in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The experiment solely lasted till days earlier than the commerce deadline, when Irving requested a commerce, however the outcomes have been fruitful.
After a 2-5 begin to the season, Vaughn’s Nets amassed a 31-20 file earlier than Irving’s remaining sport in Brooklyn.
The roots, nevertheless, have been laid in Orlando on a Magic group coached by Rivers however headlined by Tracy McGrady, a famous person who averaged 32.7 factors per sport on the season. The Nets coach appeared in 80 video games and averaged six factors, three assists and a steal below Rivers and alongside McGrady that 12 months.
“[Doc] knows how to communicate with guys,” Vaughn mentioned. “So I learned that — at that time — Tracy McGrady was the star on our team. How do you talk to your stars on your team? How do you keep them accountable? But how do you love and continue to push the rest of the group. So I learned a lot from him.”
Vaughn, nevertheless, recommended that may be the extent of his relationship with Rivers.
“I didn’t say I know him that well,” he mentioned shortly after. “I said I had a tremendous amount of respect for him. I know him as a coach, but I don’t think we’re both going to get Philly cheese steaks when we’re going down there. That’s for sure.”
Asked if he thought Rivers’ son-in-law Seth Curry — who was traded to Brooklyn within the deal for James Harden — would get cheesesteaks with Rivers, Vaughn sidestepped the query.
“Not sure about that,” he mentioned. “That’s a family thing, now. I don’t touch family now! I don’t mess with family!”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com