On Tuesday’s list of priorities for Doc Rivers, the most important thing is to refocus on what they made in their first game against Washington on Sunday. As Rivers explained later in a Zoom call with reporters, the transitional defense was so ugly in the first half of the year that he couldn’t even list all the things that went wrong in a concise way. But before he gets there, Rivers wants to make sure to deliver a clear and clear message. It started with his T-shirt, which was marked with the words “CALL YOUR SENATORS” in bold bold letters, urging them to pass George Floyd’s justice in the “Policing Act.”

“This is about the George Floyd Act. It is not political, the George Floyd Act. It has nothing to do with whether you are a Republican or a Democrat. I am the son of a policeman. I support the police. In my opinion, the George Floyd bill is a bill that should be passed by both parties. One of the key points is about police training so that we can better train the police. Everyone Police officers will want it.

“In fact, it takes six months to become a policeman, and the fact that it takes one and a half years to get your barber license. This tells you that we need more training… I am a Democrat, I give me All the Republican friends called.-I have many people-told them that this is a bill that should be passed. It should be a two-party system. It has nothing to do with which side of the tunnel you are on.”

Rivers will not stop there, noting that the specific policy features of the bill are inspired by the murder of Floyd. Rivers believes that qualified immunities should be granted to protect police and other government officials from civil lawsuits and to eliminate bad police. In response to more questions about whether he is willing to speak up in court, Rivers pointed out that in the past year we have seen waves of discrimination and violence against other minority communities, including but not limited to AAPI and Jewish communities.

In the end, of course, he was eager to point out that he was ultimately a basketball coach. It turns out that their goal of winning the championship title will be inevitable. This is another area where Rivers has proven track record-this coach led the Clippers through the final controversy of the Donald Sterling era and won a playoff series that surpassed the Warriors. The champion is in them.

This is the invincible battle to become a public figure in 2021. Keep silent on current issues, a certain percentage of the population will never see you like you do. Speak out loud, you are usually beaten to your position, just like an angry accountant tweeting @@Sixers on social justice messages, more qualified than a basketball coach to solve hundreds of years of American history.

As Rivers said, all he did was simple, concise and straightforward: tell the truth.

Rivers said: “I never thought I would say it.” “I really didn’t. I think I’m just telling the truth. I’m not trying to cause controversy. I’m a politician, I need it, I don’t want that. I like to make fun of each other, just like they make fun of us, but I don’t take anything seriously, I think there’s never a right time to tell the truth, but now is the time, it’s always been like this, I believe if this can make any People feel dissatisfied. Yes, then I am sorry, but I will not stop telling the truth. Equality and justice, everyone should want.”

In this way, the head coach will turn to basketball. How does George Hill’s versatility and trapping ability help them at critical moments, even if he is not willing to compete as often as Hilles. Even if Tyrese Maxey is still behind on the defensive end (and knows he is behind), how will he put in your work? It is worth noting that he finally got rid of their worries about transitional defense. This was a disaster in the first half, and he was very happy that they were able to fix it in the middle of the game.

When asked what went wrong during the transition period, Rivers said: “This is a list, I’m not kidding.” “It doesn’t match. Running to your own man-partner is what we call it. The ball, but your man is next to you, and you start running with him instead of standing in front of the ball-and communicate. You know, if I were to name them, there would be two or three others. But, it’s fun, Man, you worked for a whole week, and then this happened. You looked around, but we did fix it in the game. This is a big deal. I think Washington’s style of play undoubtedly caught our attention, this There is no doubt about it.”

Rivers spent two minutes talking about what he thought was important. This was contrary to what the loyal critics said, and it was not enough to weaken his ability to organize or focus on the team. It is not enough to consume a full Zoom press, it provides enough space for those interested in what Rivers says on and under the hardwood.

For example, Maxey is someone everyone I want to talk now. Just checking the game on Sunday is enough to win enthusiastic applause from the crowd in the Wells Fargo Center, and the Philadelphia rookie quickly won the favor of fans this year. His arc is an inspiring storyboard-the initial brilliant flash, the mid-season coma, and his rebound to end the season, show that his game is becoming more mature and refined. The runner-up game ended with a layup and free throws, which made him a reliable bet that could contribute as the game became harder and more physical.

Although Rivers is capable of doing this, he is not in a hurry to become famous for Maxey’s blooming under his watch. Rivers said that Maxey I saw today was the product of the invisible work the children did when they were resting and recuperating during the hard season.

Rivers said: “A long time ago, everything was floating and no one else was involved, so for him, jumping down so quickly was related to any coaching or similar things he accepted, more It’s about him.” “This fully shows that he is alone…it is incredible. One day of the game, he walked back to back on the road, and he was there like a clockwork the next morning. The child wanted to be very good. , He listened. And he really improved.”

If there is a guiding belief in Rivers’ coaching philosophy, it is to treat his players (even the young Maxi) like an adult man. There was a hard conversation between them. When setting up the characters and ensuring that the players are on the same page, Rivers always has the right time and is as solid as a rock. But in the end, he knew that he could only provide information first, and then let them discuss it. For basketball, this is correct. In basketball, he has a team with low jet lag, and he claims to work harder than ever. This is true, and also outside of the game, because Rivers realizes that not everyone chooses to take on the public The responsibility of the community. spokesman.

One of Rivers’ new players and one of the senior politicians of the team, George Hill has made his priorities clear in recent years. After the death of Jacob Blake of Kenosha, Wisconsin last summer, he was one of Milwaukee’s most outspoken players when the Bucks suspended work in the bubble last year. On Tuesday, he shared some of the reasons why he chose to speak up on these issues, rather than just sit down after an hour.

Hill said: “Most things are important to me. I grew up in a rough neighborhood, in a family that had many contacts with the police.” “I’ve seen it, and it’s to some extent. I have a lot of AAU project kids in Indianapolis. They look up to me. I have a lot of friends who play basketball. [are] Either go to prison for murder or die. This has always been something that my parents instilled in me to speak, to be a leader rather than a follower. But at the same time, I grew up in the same way. I come from food stamps, I come from lights out, sometimes we don’t have food on the table, and life is more important than the sports we participate in. “

The Game 2 trailer, X and O’s speech will be coming. Rivers and his team are fully preparing for a battle with a team that will at least step on the pedal to give them a series of victories. Washington has star power, and even if nothing else, they will almost certainly feel more confident after staying in the game at the last minute of Sunday’s playoff opener.

The debate about Ben Simmons (Ben Hill thinks Simmons “should not be babbling about it”) will continue.River, just like him When it comes to the size of the crowd On Sunday, he may continue to make fun of his political opponents. But the person looks forward clearly and can walk and chew gum at the same time.

Rivers said: “We have always been concerned about basketball.” “Our goal is to win the championship, no matter what happens, we will not get into trouble because of this, but real life is constantly evolving. I really believe that my players should We know what’s happening there, so we try our best to inform them, if they want to say something, do something or participate in it, we will do everything we can to let them know.”

Follow Kyle on Twitter: @KyleNeubeck