Sixers Need to Pull Trigger on Rare Blockbuster Trade, Says Philly Fans

doc rivers

Getty Some fans want Doc Rivers out.

The Philadelphia 76ers dropped a nail biter to the Toronto Raptors on March 20, a game in which they were outscored by 10 points in the fourth quarter.

Following this loss, the Sixers drop to 43-27 in the Eastern Conference, which puts them in a virtual tie with the red-hot Boston Celtics for the third seed. There’s no need to panic just yet because the team is still in a good spot, but some fans are calling for coach Doc Rivers’s head.

The signing of DeAndre Jordan to be Joel Embiid’s backup was always going to be a mixed bag, but there are some games where he looks downright disastrous on the court, and fans have called for little-played big man Paul Reed to get those minutes.

In 11 minutes against the Raptors, Jordan secured two rebounds, no points and the team was outscored by 10 points. Things didn’t fare all that better for Reed in the three minutes he played as he finished with a minus 6 in the plus/minus category.

After the game, fans once again called for a replacement for Doc Rivers.


Does Rivers Need to Go?

Frustrating losses are always something that gets the fans talking, and this latest one has fans calling for a change.

“Doc can’t be allowed to coach this team anymore man,” wrote Reddit user DHackley in a thread. “F**k it bring in [Mike] D’Antoni. At least he will score.”

Some fans have even suggested trading Rivers for a different coach, something that he’s very familiar with in his career as he famously arrived in Los Angeles through a trade with the Celtics.

“Package Doc and picks for Monty Williams please,” wrote PensiveinNJ.

The Sixers have a strong starting lineup, but their depth really falls apart when you dip into the bench. Following the trade of Andre Drummond, the back up big man is Jordan, and fans have already turned on him.

Their de-facto sixth man is Georges Niang, and he has always been very up and down with his play. While he put up decent enough stats in the loss to the Raptors, he also finished with a team worst minus 22.

Not everyone fan is placing the blame directly on Rivers, but it’s clear something has to be done in their eyes.

“Doc is terrible and is almost certainly gone this off-season but tonight is on Sixers getting out hustled and overall poor execution,” wrote catalinawinesixer.


What Can the Bench Do?

James Harden

GettyJames Harden is still adjusting to his new teammates on the Philadelphia 76ers following a blockbuster trade.

At this point in the season, the Sixers will just have to ride it out with what they have and look to make upgrades in the offseason.

If they want any hope of upgrading their bench, they’ll likely have to flip Tobias Harris and his massive contract into a few pieces that can contribute. Following the trade for Harden, Harris has taken more of a back seat when it comes to being a scoring option, so he could be a candidate for a trade.

Priority one should be addressing the backup center spot because the non-Joel Embiid minutes can be very disastrous for the Sixers, even with Harden to help shoulder the load. While Drummond isn’t exactly held in high regard from fans, it’s clear that losing him had a big impact on the team’s success.

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