Q. Who are you guys still waiting on among the group of players, and when do you expect those guys in? And also, kind of curious about what the protocol is for guys who come in late. Will they have to wait the 36 hours and all that?
DOC RIVERS: Yeah, I don't even know the protocol to be honest. We're not going to talk about who is not here.
You know, I guess the question was about Kawhi. I can tell you he's here and he's going through the protocol, but the other guys that aren't here, we just won't talk about.
Q. I was wondering how close was yesterday's practice to the ones you guys started in Hawai'i, the first day of training camp?
DOC RIVERS: Not as close. You know, No. 1, we don't have all our guys.
No. 2, it's so different because usually going into the beginning of a season, guys have been together playing full-court basketball. They have been in the gym four and five weeks before you even start training camp.
This is a little different. Guys just started getting together about a week ago, two weeks ago, and they are more individual workouts. Really, we did a lot of light stuff. We put in a lot of stuff but we didn't play much competitive basketball at all and we probably won't do that for a couple more days.
Q. I was wondering what the health status of Kawhi is? I know you had a strict plan for him during the regular season. If any of that changes, how hard can you go with him during the scrimmages, the seeding games, and then leading into the playoffs?
DOC RIVERS: Yeah, I don't know that yet. I think everybody's healthy. I think that's a great thing. Guys were not as healthy in training camp beginning of this year.
Now we've got Paul George healthy. We have Kawhi healthy. We don't have a guy that's injured right now, knock-on-wood, and let's hope that continues.
I think it will be different now because of that.
Q. Two-part question here. Would you mind sharing the best thing you learned about your coaching staff and the players over the last few months? And then --
DOC RIVERS: Go ahead. Ask the second one.
Q. My second question would be: What would be your message to society on improving, or even eradicating, racial inequalities in the country?
DOC RIVERS: I'll start with that. The first one is being more tolerant and listening and understanding.
I mean, we have a senator that Tweets at Woj yesterday just because he was talking about what we were going to put on the back of our jersey. And they always try to turn it into the military or the police. There's no league that does more for the military than the NBA.
But how that about that Senator? I'll make a challenge: We will do things for the troops as long as he acknowledges #BlackLivesMatter. I think that would be really cool for him to do.
You know, it's funny, whenever we talk about justice, people try to change the message. Colin Kaepernick kneels; it had nothing to do with truth. It had to do with social injustice, and everyone tried to change the narrative.
How about staying on what we are talking about and dealing with that, instead of trying to trick us or change or trick your constituents? How about being real?
I guarantee you, we've done more for the military than probably that Senator. And I guarantee you this: We also are going to do things for #BlackLivesMatter. How about him? Maybe he should join into that.
And on the other thing, that's what I've learned is about our players and our coaches, who are just really involved. Obviously you learn about basketball, and that's great. But through the COVID and the times that we've done Zoom, I think what I've learned more is about our players as people, and what they stand for.
Q. Curious, what have you guys seen over the last few months in Joakim, and what do you think he can bring to you guys?
DOC RIVERS: He looks great. I don't know if this stoppage has helped any single player more than him, because he was not healthy when we signed him, and now he is. I think he's going to help us on the floor, but even if he doesn't, he's going to help us with his presence and his voice. I think he will be invaluable for Zub.
Q. I know you're incredibly passionate about #BlackLivesMatter, social justice, and also Lou had just said when I asked him what made him decide to come play; he was 50/50 early. He said the team decided to have a team vote about whether to come; either everybody is coming or nobody is coming. You are all about player empowerment, as well. What do you think about the team vote, and what did you know about it and what do you think about the players coming together and doing this vote?
DOC RIVERS: We pushed it. We didn't want to come here if we didn't have the right mindset, and we needed to have that. And with all the stuff that is going on, we made the choice that we can do our jobs and do our jobs well, and then, also, have the ability to talk.
Let's say if we hadn't decided to play, I wouldn't be here talking about it right now. So we have the opportunity to speak our truths, and we are not going to stop doing it.
Q. Reggie had mentioned yesterday about some of the crazy things he's seen people brought into the bubble, like Trez brought a portable sauna. Is there anything you've seen players bring that you thought was funny or shocked you?
DOC RIVERS: No, I haven't seen much. I think all the coaches have a lot of different coffee mechanisms; me being one of them, as well.
But other than that, Trez with the portable sauna thing, he may be at the top of the list in that, but I have a feeling there are some other things people have brought.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports