Doc Rivers’ penchant for playoff collapses and second-round exits has price him his NBA teaching job with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 76ers fired Rivers on Tuesday following a 3rd straight exit within the second spherical of the playoffs, and the second time over that span he misplaced a sequence lead and a Game 7.
Rivers led the 76ers to their second straight 50-win season behind NBA MVP Joel Embiid however once more didn’t make them the japanese convention closing sequence for the primary time since 2001. The Sixers haven’t gained an NBA championship since 1983.
“We’re grateful for all he did in his three seasons here and thank him for the important impact he made on our franchise,” workforce president Daryl Morey mentioned in an announcement. “After having the chance to reflect upon our season, we decided that certain changes are necessary to further our goals of competing for a championship.”
The 76ers held a 3-2 semi-finals sequence lead in opposition to Boston earlier than dropping Game 6 at dwelling and have been crushed in Game 7 on the highway.
Rivers fell to 6-10 in Game 7s. The 10 defeats are 5 greater than another NBA coach.
Rivers and the 76ers additionally misplaced a decisive Game 7 at dwelling within the second spherical to Atlanta in 2021 as a No.1 seed.
Embiid endorsed Rivers’ return following Sunday’s loss however James Harden was noncommittal about wanting their coach again.
Rivers had two years left on his contract and was 154-82 in three years with the Sixers. He gained the 2008 NBA title as coach of the Boston Celtics.
Asked after the 112-88 thumping in Boston if he anticipated to be again subsequent yr, Rivers mentioned: “Yeah. I think I got two years left. No one is safe in our business and I get that.”
Rivers took over forward of the 2020-21 season for Brett Brown, who was fired after the 76ers have been swept within the first spherical of the playoffs.
Rivers himself had simply been fired about two weeks after the Los Angeles Clippers wasted a 3-1 sequence lead and misplaced to the Denver Nuggets within the Western Conference semi-finals.
He anticipated to educate a workforce seemingly getting ready to successful a title. Instead, he was on the bench for one of many worst losses in workforce historical past, a franchise-shifting loss to Atlanta in Game 7 that got here on the heels of Ben Simmons failing to dunk an uncontested shot, which spiraled right into a loss and the tip of the All-Star guard’s tenure in Philly.
Simmons by no means performed for the 76ers once more after Rivers and Embiid didn’t publicly again the star guard following the loss, and the connection soured from there.
Simmons was traded a yr later for Harden, who was anticipated to function the lacking piece that might get Embiid a championship. Or least into the convention closing.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
