Doc Rivers praises Celtics' rebuild: They went out and got closers

Doc Rivers may not coach the Boston Celtics anymore, but he still monitors them and wants to see them thrive.

That's why the Los Angeles Clippers head coach is pumped for the Celtics, whose offseason additions include All-Stars Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving.

"They went out and got talent, man," Rivers told Boston Herald's Stephen Hewitt. "That's gonna show. I think what they've really done, to me, what they didn't have in the past, and I think every team has to have it, you have to have closers.

"You can be as good as you want to be, and at the end of the game you need to have guys who are going to close the game for you. Now they have those. I don't know if they've had that in the past, and now they do."

It's a bit of a flawed assessment considering whom the Celtics gave up in order to acquire Irving from the Cleveland Cavaliers. Boston's package to its conference rival was highlighted by All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas, who finished second in the NBA in points scored in the final five minutes of close contests last season. In fact, IT was so clutch that he earned the nickname "Mr. Fourth Quarter."

Related: 5 memorable moments from Thomas' tenure with Celtics

Under Rivers, the Celtics reached two NBA Finals and claimed the 2008 championship fresh off trading for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. In the four years since his departure, Boston amassed an unrivaled collection of assets that helped them land Irving.

The rebuild saw Boston miss the playoffs just once before returning to contention. In the blink of an eye, the C's are again one of the top clubs in the East, finishing No. 1 last season and making the conference finals.

Rivers thinks it's one of the greatest roster overhauls of all time.

"(The Celtics) have done the best job I've seen in sports in a long, long time of rebuilding. Maybe ever," said the former Boston bench boss of nine years.

Rivers attributed much of the success to general manager Danny Ainge and coach Brad Stevens, who haven't been afraid to make moves.