It’s that time of year again… NBA award season! The regular season is coming to a close, and the Sixers are wrapping up the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference under the leadership of Doc Rivers. Fresh off of an eight-game winning streak, the Sixers have used their dominant defense and MVP-level play from Joel Embiid to establish themselves as legitimate title contenders.
The Sixers figure to be in the mix for a number of different awards. Joel Embiid is neck and neck with Nikola Jokic in the MVP race. Ben Simmons might (and should) win Defensive Player of the Year. There’s even a slim chance a certain second-year wing could find his way to an All-Defensive team. However, there is one member of the organization that isn’t getting nearly enough love in the award discussions.
Doc Rivers should be a leading candidate for Coach of the Year
At 47-22, the Sixers are primed to have the number one seed going into the playoffs for the first time since Allen Iverson led the 2000-01 Sixers to the NBA Finals. While there are a number of factors leading to their success, it’s clear that the biggest change they made this offseason was at the head of the bench.
After firing Brett Brown last year, the Sixers were pleasantly surprised when Doc Rivers and the Los Angeles Clippers agreed to part ways. Disappointed by quick playoff exits, the Sixers’ front office was hoping Doc could bring his experience and championship mindset to a young team. He hasn’t disappointed.
Doc has improved the offense
When Doc took over, he was clear: he wasn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. The Sixers already had a decent offense that was just clunky in a lot of ways. Some of this was personnel (looking at you, Al Horford), but it was mostly the way that Brett Brown wanted to run his offense. He tried to force Ben Simmons to be a jump shooter, which obviously didn’t work, and wanted Joel Embiid to spend a huge chunk of his time at the 3-point line.
Doc had two big-picture philosophy changes. First, let Ben Simmons be Ben Simmons. Even without a jumpshot, Ben is still a very gifted offensive player. He is a great creator, and can drive-and-dish better than almost anyone. He has developed his hook shot and his footwork in the paint has noticeably improved. The shooters added to the roster have cleared some room in the paint, and Doc lets Ben spend as much time down there as he wants. That’s why Ben finds himself in the dunker’s spot more often this year than in the past.
Second, get Joel Embiid in the post early and often. While Embiid has shown that he can be a decent spot up shooter when he needs to be, his bread and butter will always be in the post. He’s easily the best post player in the NBA, and arguably one of the best post players the league has ever seen. Embiid leads the league in post-ups per game by a mile at 9.5, and second place is Nikola Jokic at 5.8. He has a similar lead in post points per game, and draws fouls on 25 percent of his possessions down low. Whereas before the offense was built around Ben Simmons as a ball handler, this Sixers offense is built around Embiid in the post.
Doc brings a championship pedigree
The Philadelphia 76ers are a historic franchise, but in recent years their name hasn’t carried the same clout it once did. Brett Brown was given a fair shake to helm this team but always seemed a little in over his head. The Sixers under Brown were infamous for playing down to their opponents, blowing huge leads, and generally being undisciplined.
Under Doc, this team has been noticeably more disciplined. Aside from a few outliers, they are beating the teams they should beat and generally seem ready to play every night. The Sixers’ players have been singing his praises since day one, and Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons seem to be having a ton of fun on the court every night. He gives his players freedom, but isn’t afraid to call out a star if he isn’t playing up to expectations or is making too many mistakes.
Doc Rivers is going to command respect in any room he walks into. His record speaks for itself, having won a championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008 with a team full of big personalities. He hasn’t coached a team under .500 since 2006-07, and is coming close to 1000 career wins as a head coach. He’s even won Coach of the Year before with the Orlando Magic back in 2000. There is no question that he’s one of the most accomplished coaches in the league.
Many will say that Monty Williams or Tom Thibodeau deserve the award, and there’s no doubt that they both have a very solid case. Regardless of who wins, Doc Rivers has come in and done a fantastic job coaching these 76ers and deserves recognition for it. If the Sixers end up winning the title this year, many will look back and wonder why they didn’t give Doc more consideration.