Is this it for Doc?

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Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images 

Here we go… this whole thing again

Rivers is one of the NBA's few remaining untouchable coaches, along with San Antonio's Gregg Popovich and the Los Angeles Lakers' Phil Jackson, but countless coaching insiders believe that Rivers will be taking no less than a one-year hiatus at season's end. No matter what happens in the playoffs.

Although Celts president Danny Ainge and the veteran trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were able to lobby Rivers last summer to come back for one last run together, pessimism reigns in Boston when it comes to successfully lobbying him again. Word is Doc is determined to free himself up to see his Duke-bound son, Austin, after work commitments prevented him from watching his other three children as much as he wanted to see them compete in various sports.

So where does Ainge turn if Rivers indeed can't be coaxed back? Celtics assistant coach Lawrence Frank and longtime Ainge teammate Kevin McHale are sure to be linked to the job instantly once it becomes vacant, but more than one veteran Ainge-watcher contacted this week coached me to assume that Ainge has a name or two in mind that no one has even pondered yet, given that (A) he had to be prepared for Rivers' departure after last season and (B) that sort of stealth planning would be classic Ainge. 

"If anybody in the league has a secret candidate," one coaching source said, "it's Danny."

I'm calling Jerry Sloan right now.  I'm willing to bet Danny is salivating at the thought of a guy like Sloan stepping in if Doc leaves.  

That is, of course, if Lawrence Frank isn't already set to take over.  I mean… he already knows how guys work around here… and they've seemed to embrace him pretty well.  There's no point in upsetting that apple cart.  But if it's not Frank… I'm calling Sloan.  

And let me just put out there that Doc is my far and away first choice.  All this other stuff is in case he doesn't come back.