When the Philadelphia 76ers lost their second consecutive playoff game to the Toronto Raptors, thus giving them only a one-game lead over their opponent at 3-2, all eyes were on Doc Rivers. The former head coach of the Boston Celtics was named by the NBA as one of the league’s 15 best coaches of all-time earlier this year, but Rivers has a reputation for coaching teams that blow playoff leads.
On three separate occasions, a Doc Rivers-coached team has blown a 3-1 lead throughout his coaching tenure.
-The 2002-03 Orlando Magic (lost to the Detroit Pistons)
-The 2014-15 Los Angeles Clippers (lost to the Houston Rockets)
-The 2019-20 Los Angeles Clippers (lost to the Denver Nuggets)
So, after the Sixers lost their second straight game – forcing them to head back to Toronto for Game 6 – many have begun to speculate that history is repeating itself again, only to the worst degree possible. No team in NBA history has ever blown a 3-0 lead, but since Rivers has blown multiple 3-1 playoff leads, it’s not hard to see him doing the impossible here.
Rivers was asked about his previous coaching failures during a press conference, to which Rivers definitely had something to say about it.
Doc Rivers fires back at reporters for bringing up his 3-1 collapses
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“I wish y’all would tell the whole story with me, alright?” Rivers said. “My Orlando team was the eighth seed. No one gives me credit for being up against the Pistons who won the title (the next season)… I dare you to go back and look at that roster, and you would say, ‘What a hell of a coaching job!’… The (2015) Clipper team that we lost 3-1. Chris Paul didn’t play in the first two games and was playing on one leg, and we didn’t have homecourt. And then the last one, to me, is the one we blew. That’s the one where I say we blew that, and that was in the bubble. Anything can happen in the bubble. There’s no homecourt. Game 7 would have been in LA, but it just happens so I would say with me, some of them is I gotta do better always… some of it is circumstances happen.”
Though Rivers takes some responsibility for his previous teams failing to get over the hump, it’s hard not to hear this and think he’s coming off a little defensive here.
Rivers Has a Point Here Regarding Context
When stats like these get brought up, context matters, and in this case, that definitely rings true for Doc Rivers. It is impressive that he coached a near-upset when the 2002-03 Orlando Magic almost beat the Detroit Pistons because hardly ever do we see a No. 8 seed beat a No. 1 seed. Adding to that, Orlando may have had a much higher playoff seed if the oft-injured Grant Hill had played more than 29 games total that season. Injuries are a part of the game for everyone, but that shouldn’t discount them as a factor when topics like these are brought up. Much like Rivers did when he brought up Chris Paul’s injury in 2015.
Celtics fans should know this firsthand when Rivers was coaching the team. Although they never blew any 3-1 leads while he was coach, they blew multiple 3-2 leads during his coaching tenure – 2009, 2010, 2012 – but anyone who was watching then knew that injuries had something to do with that.
While no one can say for sure what would have happened if they had stayed healthy, it’s not too far off-base to say that the team probably would have fared better had Kevin Garnett not hurt his knee mid-season in 2009, Kendrick Perkins not torn his ACL during the 2010 NBA Finals, and Avery Bradley not separated his shoulders during the 2012 NBA Playoffs.
Rivers has his shortcomings, but he shouldn’t take the lion’s share of the blame for his playoff failures.
Rivers’ History May Not Matter in This Series
Losing two straight games after winning the first three is not a favorable position for Rivers and the rest of the 76ers squad. Going up to Toronto to finish off the Raptors will be a tough task, especially with Joel Embiid playing with a torn ligament in his right thumb. However, it appears the Raptors will be a little short-staffed for Game 6.
Raptors’ all-star point guard Fred VanVleet has been listed as doubtful for Game 6 with a left hip flexor strain. His potential absence could greatly benefit the 76ers when they go for their third try in eliminating the Raptors.
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Former Celtics Coach Fires Back at Reporters for Playoff History