Doc Rivers: 'Rondo is our Tom Brady'

WALTHAM -- Doc Rivers had a special chance to go inside the Patriots game preparation minutes before kickoff Monday night. He learned a lot from the invitation from Patriots coach Bill Belichick. On Tuesday, he was asked about his experience and was asked if anyone on his team compares to Tom Brady. 

"Rondo is our Tom Brady, as far as being the point guard/quarterback," Rivers said after Tuesday's practice. "Kevin [Garnett] probably as far as all of the relationship stuff. Tom Brady has got to be right there [as one of the best in history]. It's surgical watching him play. Then to have that, plus the relationship with [Belichick], I don't know if there's been a better great quarterback relationship with their coach ever. Bill Walsh and Joe Montana would be the only other one that comes to mind for me. That's pretty neat. And they're so different as people. That's pretty cool."

Rivers was on the sideline with Mark Wahlberg while Rondo was also in attendance wearing a Wes Welker jersey. Rivers took in the game from the suite belonging to Belichick and watched with Belichick's girl friend Linda Holliday. 

"I was there most of the game," Rivers said. "I left in the middle of the fourth. I asked Linda could I leave now? Is it safe so it was. I love watching that team play. I was telling our guys that today. It's just really awesome watching them execute, how professional they are. Every time I go to a Patriots game, I get so much out of it. 

"I got to sit in their offensive gameplan meetings before they went out on the field. It's just really cool. It's a neat atmosphere. You can't be around it enough, you really can't." 

Rivers was amazed at the Patriots' execution of their game plan. 

"To me, their execution and how serious and how they prepare for it," Rivers said. "Obviously, it's different, they have one game to prepare for a week. It does make a big difference when we have five in a week, four in a week, it's a little harder to do. Everybody knows their job and they do their job. 

"It's a neat atmosphere," Rivers added. "Football [teams] in general [game plan weekly] but the Patriots do it on another level. Just the execution. Listening to what they said they wanted to do on offense before the game and then watching them actually do was pretty impressive."  

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