NBA Insider Talks League ‘Chatter’ About 76ers’ Doc Rivers
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76ers outsiders are already questioning Doc Rivers’ future in Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia 76ers entered the 2022 offseason disappointed in the way everything transpired throughout their latest playoff run. After falling short to the Atlanta Hawks in upset fashion during the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs, the Sixers were out to prove they could turn the tables and pull off an upset against the first-seeded Miami Heat in round two of last year’s postseason.
Unfortunately, they were proven unsuccessful in six games. As always, a playoff disappointment calls for everybody to point fingers. And for head coaches and star players, they are typically the first to garner blame for the team coming up short.
As the Sixers got off to a slow start to the 2022-2023 NBA season after improving their roster on paper over the summer, ESPN NBA insider Zach Lowe claims that there is already some chatter around the league regarding Sixers head coach Doc Rivers on ‘The Lowe Post’ podcast.
“Doc Rivers, Bill Simmons has been saying for weeks on his podcast Doc could be the first coach fired. Certainly people are chattering about that in the league ecosystem, but I don’t know how much that chatter is actually reality and this is Daryl Morey’s team. This is this is the Rockets reunion tour. This is ‘I waited on my long lost love James Harden. I waited and waited and got him back’ this is it. Like this is the team and they’ve just got to be better than this. To me, offense is fine. We’ll see that’s that’s where I give them time, right it takes time to get that snap. Start trying in transition defense because what’s on the floor right now is embarrassing.” (H/T Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire)
There might be some chatter going on about Rivers’ future with the Sixers among league personnel, but it seems nothing concrete is being discussed, and everything is just speculation. Despite what many outside of the Sixers’ organizations believes, it’s far too early to make such a critical decision.
Sure, the Sixers got off to a rough start, beginning the season 0-3 before defeating a rebuilding Indiana Pacers team on Monday night, but there are 78 games left to be played.
Based on the talent the Sixers possess and the fact they have clinched a playoff berth in five-straight seasons, advancing past the first round in four of those runs, the Sixers aren’t viewed as a team that might need to win a Play-In game or worse, miss the playoffs entirely.
The slow start is surely a bad look for everybody involved, including Doc Rivers, but the head coach cannot be solely blamed for the 76ers’ early struggles. Unless they fail to begin turning things around, Rivers’ job in Philadelphia will remain safe.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.