Getty Doc Rivers and Luka Doncic embrace before a game last year in the NBA bubble at DisneyWorld in Orlando.
Doc Rivers has proven one thing during his first year in Philadelphia: he’s not afraid to speak his mind. And that heart-on-the-sleeve characteristic applies to his own roster as much as it does to the Sixers’ opponents.
So it should come as no surprise that Rivers was quick to throw heaping praise on Dallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić after the Sixers’ 111-97 victory on Thursday night. The Sixers coach has long admired Dončić from afar and made sure to go on record with it after the game.
“I love him,” Rivers said of Dončić, via the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey. “I said three years ago. I jokingly said I had a man-crush on him. I love how he plays. I love the joy that he plays with.”
Ben Simmons said of how he was able to contain Luka Dončić. “Just being me, doing what I do. I like taking those challenges. I said this over and over, again. You know, just tell me who to guard.”
Rivers was joking but it’s worth noting the mutual respect. Especially following a dominating defensive performance from Sixers point guard Ben Simmons who held Dončić in check. The Mavericks All-Star finished with 19 points on just 6-of-13 shooting from the field.
“I like taking those challenges,” Simmons said. “I said this over and over, again. You know, just tell me who to guard.”
Tobias Harris Leaves Game with Injury
The Sixers received a brief scare on Thursday night when Tobias Harris — the team’s certifiable All-Star snub — left with a right knee bruise and didn’t return. He’ll have a test on it on Friday morning.
#Sixers PF Tobias will have test on his knee tomorrow morning to make sure it is structurally fine.
“I don’t know yet, it’s too early,” Rivers told reporters after the game. “I think they’re gonna do some tests in the morning to make sure that it’s structurally fine and then go from there.”
Harris scored six points in 22 minutes before exiting for good against Dallas. The forward is averaging a career-high 20.7 this year, along with 7.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 34.7 minutes per game. Many people, including Harris himself, thought he should have been an NBA All-Star.
that’s all….
Is Tyrese Maxey on the Trading Block?
The rumors of Philly native Kyle Lowry potentially heading to the Sixers in a trade continue to pick up steam, leading to speculation on what the team might have to give up to land him. The six-time All-Star guard won’t come cheap and the Toronto Raptors reportedly want multiple draft picks and young players back in return.
Just don’t trade Tyrese Maxey or Shake Milton for Kyle Lowery please @dmorey
The first name being floated out there is Sixers rookie Tyrese Maxey. The 21st overall pick in the 2020 draft has been a fan favorite since draft night and his name was trending on Twitter on Thursday afternoon amid all the Lowry trade talk. Maxey is averaging 8.6 points and 1.8 assists in 16.9 minutes per game while shooting 44.7% from the field.
Rookies with the most games of 25+ points this season:
1. Immanuel Quickley: 4 times
2. Anthony Edwards: 3 times
3. LaMelo Ball: 2 times
T-4. Saddiq Bey
T-4. Tyrese Maxey
T-4. James Wiseman
There are plenty of people in Philly who are torn about parting ways with the 20-year-old in exchange for Lowry. Remember, the Villanova product will turn 25 on March 25. It’s a tough decision, but one the Sixers’ front office will be forced to make soon. Another potential trade candidate would be 2019 first-round pick Matisse Thybulle (20th overall).
For the record: Lowry’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, went on SiriusXM NBA Radio on Thursday to downplay the trade rumors.
“That’s just not true,” Bartelstein said, via Pro Basketball Talk. “I got on the phone with Masai (Ujiri, Raptors president) and Bobby (Webster, Raptors GM) and let them know that [report] certainly wasn’t coming from us.”