PJ Tucker Sends Blunt Message to Sixers Before Potential Series-Clinching Game

Getty P.J. Tucker of the Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers are one win away from making their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance. Despite going back home being up 3-2 over the Boston Celtics, Sixers veteran PJ Tucker revealed the message he sent to his teammates following their pivotal Game 5 victory.

“Even keeled, humble, hungry, and do the same things we’ve been doing,” Tucker said, per Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire. “I told everybody, we’re not excited. We expect to win, but at the same time, we respect our opponents, and we’re gonna come out and play hard because we know they are.”

Tucker made it clear that though they have the advantage, they should not let that get to them because the series it not over.

“It feels good to get a chance to close out at home, but it’s not over,” Tucker added. “We still gotta play. They’re gonna come, they’re gonna give us everything they got, and it’s just one of those games that it’s gonna be emotional, but we got to keep our heads and stay focused and keep our mind on the goal.”

Doc Rivers Explains Decision to Play Danuel House Jr.

Sixers head coach Doc Rivers made an adjustment going into Game 5 against the Celtics by playing Danuel House Jr. The adjustment gave the Sixers quite the boost as House scored 10 points while shooting five-for-seven from the field to go with five rebounds.

During his postgame press conference, Rivers admitted that House was not his first choice, but he made a gut decision by playing the veteran wing, and it worked.

“You go with a gut. I can tell you we talked about it painstakingly yesterday and today between three guys who to play, and I can tell you House was not the pick, but I just picked him. I thought we needed size, and we needed athleticism. That’s something that he has,” Rivers told reporters, per NBA.com.

Rivers has made multiple rotation adjustments, including playing House Jr. and removing Jalen McDaniels from the rotation, which has played a hand in helping swing the series in the Sixers’ favor.

Ex-Sixer JJ Redick Linked to Head Coaching Position

After parting ways with Nick Nurse, the Toronto Raptors are looking for their next head coach. Michael Grange of Sportsnet reported that they have considered former Sixer JJ Redick for the gig.

“Then there are some wild cards… and one source suggesting that Toronto has looked into the possibility of veteran NBA sharpshooter, turned podcaster, turned broadcaster JJ Reddick — who has spoken openly about the possibility of getting into coaching — as being head coach material,” Grange said.

Redick does not have any coaching experience to his name but has made a name for himself as a broadcaster and podcaster. There appears to be more smoke to this than initially let on in Grange’s report, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on May 10 that the Raptors have actually interviewed Redick for the position.

“Fifteen-year NBA veteran and ESPN analyst JJ Redick interviewed for the Toronto Raptors’ coaching job this week,” Wojnarowski said.