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Rivers returning to coach Celtics

Doc Rivers will return to coach the Boston Celtics next season, a source close to him confirmed to Yahoo! Sports.

After deliberating between leaving the job and returning to spend more time with his family in Orlando, Rivers finally decided on Wednesday morning that he'll honor the last year of his contract and return for the 2010-11 season.

The Celtics reworked the final year of Rivers' contract with a raise from the $5.5 million he was owed, sources said, but Rivers wasn't ready to commit to a contract extension.

The Boston Herald first reported Rivers' decision to return to the Celtics.

Rivers will turn his attention to recruiting Celtics free agents Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, and league sources said he's focused on hiring former New Jersey Nets coach Lawrence Frank to replace assistant Tom Thibodeau, who left to coach the Chicago Bulls.

"With the blessing of my family, I want to try one more time with this group," Rivers told Y! Sports.