I think we all saw this coming after that Game 7 loss.
The Doc Rivers era in Philadelphia is over. The 76ers decided to fire their head coach Tuesday, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The firing comes after the Sixers suffered a catastrophic collapse against the Boston Celtics in Game 6, which led to Philly getting blown out in Game 7 and eliminated from the NBA Playoffs in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The 61-year-old took the 76ers to the NBA‘s second round in all three years as head coach, however, was eliminated from the postseason in each one.
Since winning an NBA championship in 2008 with the Celtics, Rivers has failed to get out of the conference semifinals in seven seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers and three with Philadelphia.
BREAKING: The 76ers dismissed coach Doc Rivers on Tuesday, sources tell ESPN. Rivers led the Sixers to the Eastern Conference Semifinals in each of his three seasons on the job. pic.twitter.com/WM0t4LhrAz
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 16, 2023
Not the biggest shocker in the world.
I remember watching and listening (and reading at that) everything that was being said about Doc Rivers after the Sixers’ Game 7 loss Sunday. Everybody and their mother was saying that he was probably going to get fired. Like I said, we all saw this coming.
And I don’t think it was just the second-round exit for the third year in a row that did it to him, I think it was also the fact that Philly’s superstars weren’t getting along with Doc. James Harden reportedly refuses to play for him any longer, Joel Embiid is being linked to my Miami Heat in an offseason trade. So yeah, the 76ers can’t be having that. (RELATED: REPORT: James Harden Has Rockets And Suns ‘On His Radar’ In Potential Free Agency, Won’t Play For 76ers’ Doc Rivers)
And this is exactly why Doc is now fired, but if he wants another job, you know he’ll have one.
It’ll be interesting to see how both sides develop after the fallout.