LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 03: Doc Rivers of the Los Angeles Clippers reacts during the first half against the Houston Rockets at Staples Center on April 03, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)
Doc Rivers’ future at the Philadelphia 76ers has come under increased scrutiny after the Sixers have had a very underwhelming start to the 2022/23 regular season.
The Philadelphia 76ers have had a very underwhelming start to their 2022/23 regular season. The Sixers who have made the Playoffs in every single one of the past five seasons in the NBA thought that they only needed to go one step further this time in order to make the finals, and embarked on a mission to surround James Harden and Joel Embiid with a capable cast.
However, their start to the season would prove that the Sixers’ attempts to support their main pairing of Harden and Embiid was unsuccessful as the Sixers began their season with three losses on the bounce. A first win of the season over a rebuilding Indiana Pacers side was followed by another defeat to the Toronto Raptors – meaning their record currently reads 1-4.
With such an underwhelming start to the season, the brunt of the blame usually falls upon either the star players of the team or the head coach – and in the Sixers’ case, it is head coach Doc Rivers whose job can soon be under threat according to a number of reliable reports.
Reports have suggested that Rivers’ future is under threat because of the Sixers’ start, while an NBA analyst has claimed that he will be the first coach to be sacked this season.
Zach Lowe recently quoted NBA analyst Bill Simmons as he said that the latter feels that Rivers could be the first coach to receive his marching orders this season. “Bill Simmons has been saying for weeks on his podcast Doc could be the first coach fired. People are chattering about that in the league ecosystem, but I don’t know how much that chatter is actually reality.” The NBA analyst also added: “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. Start trying in transition defense because what’s on the floor right now is embarrassing.”