The Philadelphia 76ers technically still face the real possibility of missing the playoffs, but that perceived struggle pales in comparison to what the Milwaukee Bucks have gone through this season. A perennial powerhouse in the Eastern Conference, they are now set to miss the postseason for the first time in 10 years. Now, they have another mess to deal with in Doc Rivers.
Rivers, who is set to be inducted in the Hall of Fame, has become a hot topic as of late. Amidst the Bucks' free-fall, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that during a team meeting in early March, the longtime coach told his troops, "Look at my resume. Google me. I took teams to the playoffs and championship that weren’t supposed to be there. I thought this was one of them".
The former 76ers coach's statements drew major flak from fans and pundits alike, especially on social media. Be that as it may, Philly especially knows why his statements have become a major point of criticism as of late, and this development is all but a vindication on their part as to why the ultimately decided to cut ties with him.
Doc Rivers mess confirms what the 76ers knew all along
As everyone knows, the 76ers parted ways with Doc Rivers after their disappointing ouster in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. He spent just three seasons in Philly, none of it leading to meaningful success in the postseason. A Game 7 loss to the Celtics in the Conference Finals ended up being the final straw for his exit.
But beyond his failure to lead the 76ers over the hump from the sidelined, Rivers was especially a common subject of blame among fans due to his coaching mishaps, which were on full display almost on a nightly basis.
Worst of all, he actively engaged in making himself insulated from taking accountability. That has always been a common them with Rivers, whom many people characterize as having way too little self-awareness to recognize his flaws and promptly address him. It is puzzling that teams seem to remain heavily interested in acquiring his services in manning the sidelines.
At this rate, if he ever gets rehired again, it must be due to some pact he made with the devil. There is no more room for Doc Rivers in this league, and getting enshrined into the Hall of Fame amid his looming jettisoning should be sufficient to mount that exit portal for him.