The Philadelphia 76ers let Brett Brown go after years of struggling and player development. They brought in Doc Rivers to take care of the finished product and helped them take a step forward in the playoffs once and for all.
Rivers' first year on the job, however, once again raised some doubts about his coaching skills. They couldn't get the job done against a lesser Atlanta Hawks team and, in pure Rivers fashion, blew big leads multiple times in the season.
Now, not even James Harden's addition has been enough to raise morale within the locker room. Per NBA insider Wosny Lambre, the players aren't sold on Rivers' philosophy and don't think he's good enough to lead them to the Finals.
NBA Rumors: Sixers Players Aren't Sold On Doc Rivers
“A few weeks ago, I’m decently tapped into the players' side of what’s happening with the 76ers, though I don’t know anybody in the Morey administration. I’m hearing that guys are not feeling Doc," Lambre said. "And his rotations, his philosophy, what he’s doing, guys aren’t feeling it… The 76ers are in LA last week… And I run into somebody who is close to the team. I’m like ‘sorry, but I can’t pick you guys to go to the Finals this year’. And his response kinda raised my eyebrow; ‘neither would I’."
Rivers Calls Out James Harden After A Tough Loss
Rivers also made the news recently for calling out James Harden and blaming him for the loss against the Detroit Pistons. Needless to say, those comments may have not sat well with the rest of the locker room:
"Well, [the bench] didn't struggle," Rivers said. "They didn't get a lot of shots in their defense. I think during that stretch, it was more James than them. So you know, yeah, it's just a tough night."
Doc Rivers already won an NBA championship but he's become infamous for blowing big series leads and failing to find suitable rotations. So, failing again with another team could pretty much put the last nail in his coaching career's coffin.
