Getty Ben Simmons and Doc Rivers during a January game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers wants to clear something up with anybody who may still be confused – he doesn’t have a side gig in the medical field.
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Following Monday night’s 107-96 home loss to the Golden State Warriors, the Sixers lead man was asked about star guard Ben Simmons’ absence from the contest. Simmons was unable to suit up for the clash with Stephen Curry’s Warriors due to an illness, and well, his response was hilarious.
Doc Rivers didn’t know when Ben Simmons will be back for the Sixers. He said Simmons’ illness is not COVID-related and he thinks it’s a stomach bug, but he’s not sure.
“I am not a real doctor,” he joked. “I didn’t do the exam; I don’t know.”
Doc Rivers on Ben Simmons out with illness
“I’m not a real Doctor. I don’t know how bad it is. It is not Covid. I think it is a stomach virus”
Apparently, it’s not the first time that the legendary coach, and former longtime Atlanta Hawks guard has used the phrase.
If Rivers were a real doctor, it’d probably help, as not only did Simmons miss the game, but so did Tobias Harris, who has been nursing a knee injury.
Why Is Doc Called Doc?
GettyPhiladelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers during a March game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Glenn Anton “Doc” Rivers was given his nickname in the early-1980s by iconic men’s college basketball coach Rick Majerus. Rivers – who played three years of college basketball under Majerus for the then-Marquette Warriors – showed up to a summer camp at the school wearing a “Dr. J” Julius Erving t-shirt, was thrown the nickname, and it stuck.
Stephen Curry Gets Best of Little Brother, Seth
GettyGolden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry and Philadelphia 76ers guard Seth Curry following a March game.
Through about 41 minutes of gameplay on Monday, things were actually looking pretty good for the Sixers. Being down two starters in Simmons and Harris, and facing an even more than usual lethal Stephen Curry, Philly found themselves with a one-point lead. Then, this happened.
When Steph Curry returned to the game with 6:54 to go the Sixers led 82-81. Curry then had a hand in 24 of the Warriors’ next 26 points. He scored 20 himself and assisted on a pair of 2-point field goals.
Steph’s younger brother, Sixers guard Seth Curry, matched up against his elder sibling through much of the first half, and then towards the end of the contest, some of the duties went to trade deadline acquisition George Hill. Although all but two Warriors were held to single digits in scoring – Andrew Wiggins joined Curry with his 16 points – when you’re in the zone like number 30 has been lately, you can carry an entire team.
At the end of the night, the Baby-Faced Assassin torched the record books again for 49 points on an unworldly 10-for-17 from downtown. The epic performance was Curry’s 11th straight 30-point game and fifth 40-point game of April.
With 49 PTS tonight, Stephen Curry becomes the first player in NBA history age 33 or older with 11 straight 30+ point games.
Kobe Bryant held the previous record (10 straight in Dec. 2012).
Also, StatMuse gave us this nugget.
Steph Curry last 5 games:
49 points, 10 threes
47 points, 11 threes
33 points, 4 threes
42 points, 11 threes
53 points, 10 threes
No one is NBA history has made more threes (46) in a 5 game stretch.
Without Simmons and Harris, Joel Embiid continued to carry the load, dropping a near-triple-double of 28 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists, and he had some help for a while too. Seth Curry nearly went toe-to-toe with his brother in the first half, scoring 15 points and hitting a trio of threes before the break. Unfortunately, that was all the scoring that the younger brother would do on the night.
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Sixers’ Doc Rivers on Ben Simmons’ Illness: ‘I Am Not a Real Doctor’