What happened to Doc Rivers? Discover why Doc Rivers was fired as the 76ers’ coach after almost three seasons.
What happened to Doc Rivers
After a Game Seven loss to the Celtics, and a second-round playoff exit, the Philadelphia 76ers fired their head Coach, Doc Rivers. Rivers was with the team from October 2020, and led them to a 54-28 regular season record.
After losing the semi-finals three years in a row, the team made a decision to change their strategy to compete for a championship. Rivers enjoyed a successful career as a coach, having won an NBA championship with the Celtics and the Orlando Magic in 2008.
Rivers’ teams lost the most playoff games 7 in NBA history. The Sixers also lost the semi-finals three years in a row under his leadership. Embiid, the star player of the Sixers, praised Rivers for his motivation and leadership despite their decision.
Did the Sixers Fire Doc Rivers?
The Philadelphia 76ers dismissed Doc Rivers as head coach on Tuesday after failing to reach the Eastern Conference Finals in the third consecutive year. Daryl Morey, the 76ers’ president of basketball operations, acknowledged Rivers’ coaching career and his impact on the team. However he said that despite this, changes were needed to win a championship.
Rivers’ playoff performance with the 76ers, despite leading them to their best record in more than 20 years, and Joel Embiid having another MVP-worthy year, was disappointing. This included a 6-10 game 7 record, which is the worst for any NBA coach.
Why was Doc Rivers fired?
The Philadelphia 76ers fired Doc Rivers as their head coach due to the team’s recent poor playoff performance. Despite two consecutive seasons of 50 wins and NBA MVP Joel Embiid being on the roster, the team did not reach the Eastern Conference Finals in the third year running.
The Celtics held a series lead of 3-2 in the semi-finals, but they lost Game 7 against them. Rivers has a 6-10 record in Game 7s, which is the most losses of any NBA coach. Sixers management believed that they needed to make changes in order to compete for a championship.
How many times has Doc Rivers been fired?
Doc Rivers, as a NBA coach, has been terminated four times during his career. In 2003, he was fired by the Orlando Magic following five seasons. Rivers took a short break from coaching and was hired by the Boston Celtics as a coach in 2004.
Rivers was the Celtics’ NBA champion in 2008, and he led them to another NBA Finals in 2010. After the Celtics failed to reach the playoffs for the 2012-2013 campaign, Rivers and his team parted ways. This led to Rivers’ second firing.
Rivers was hired as a coach by the Los Angeles Clippers in 2013. He coached them for seven seasons. Rivers, despite leading the Clippers to the Western Conference Finals and the playoffs six times in seven years, including in 2015, was fired by the Clippers in 2020, after they suffered yet another disappointing playoff defeat.
Rivers has been fired by the Philadelphia 76ers for a third consecutive exit from the second round in the playoffs. Rivers failed to take the 76ers beyond the second round of playoffs despite leading them to two consecutive 50-win seasons.
Who is Doc Rivers?
Glenn Anton “Doc” Rivers, a retired American basketball player who is currently a basketball coach and was most recently the head coach of Philadelphia 76ers NBA team.
Rivers played three seasons in college basketball with the Marquette Golden Eagles before being drafted by Atlanta Hawks. He was selected as the point guard of several teams including the Hawks and Los Angeles Clippers.
Rivers was a NBA All-Star from 1988. In 1999, he began his coaching career when he became the Orlando Magic’s head coach. He was named 2000 NBA Coach of Year in his first season as the Magic’s head coach.
Rivers coached the Boston Celtics and led them to the NBA Championship in 2008. He then coached the Los Angeles Clippers, followed by the Philadelphia 76ers.