Doc Rivers is considered one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. The current Philadelphia 76ers coach has been in the league for quite some time and has coached some of the league’s best talents, from Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Chris Paul, Tracy McGrady, and Kawhi Leonard, among many others. But it appears some players on his current 76ers team haven’t bought into his style.
NBA insider Wosny Lambre spoke on The Ringer NBA Show recently. He noted that he heard that some of the 76ers players aren’t ‘feeling’ Doc Rivers and how he is coaching the team. On top of that, a source close to the 76ers had an interesting response when Lambre told them that he doesn’t think the Philadelphia 76ers can reach the NBA Finals this year (31:42 onwards).
“No he’s not (On Doc Rivers being the man for the job in Philadelphia)… A few weeks ago, I’m decently tapped into the players side of what’s happening with the 76ers, though I don’t know anybody in the Morey administration. I’m hearing that guys are not feeling Doc. And his rotations, his philosophy, what he’s doing, guys aren’t feeling it… The 76ers are in LA last week… And I run into somebody who is close to the team. I’m like ‘sorry, but I can’t pick you guys to go to the Finals this year’. And his response kinda raised my eyebrow; ‘neither would I’.”
Rivers didn’t do himself any favors last night when he openly called out 76ers’ James Harden while he was trying to defend the rest of the team. While some of the bench players may be happy that he stood up for them, superstars have a great deal of power in the NBA. And given Harden’s close relationship with 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, that might not have been a smart move.
Rivers has not been able to take a team to the NBA Finals since 2010 when he and the Boston Celtics lost to Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. Rivers has had multiple playoffs collapses since then, including multiple blown 3-1 leads during the playoffs. One has to wonder how much leeway the 76ers will give Rivers if he fails to take the team to the Finals this season.
