After three seasons, the Philadelphia 76ers moved on from coach Doc Rivers. The team fell in the Eastern Conference semifinals in all three seasons under his guidance, and team management believed it was time for a change.
The Sixers held a 3-2 lead in the semifinals over the Boston Celtics and had a lead slip away in Game 6 at home. They scored 13 points in the fourth quarter in the Game 6 loss and looked listless in Game 7.
Rivers paid the price, but it looks as though he will land on his feet nicely. The future Hall of Fame coach won 154 games across three seasons in Philadelphia, and he is a finalist for the opening with the Phoenix Suns.
Sources: The Phoenix Suns have narrowed their the head coaching search to five finalists: Nick Nurse, Frank Vogel, Doc Rivers, Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez and Suns assistant Kevin Young.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 24, 2023
The Suns feature legitimate stars Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul. Rivers has a history with Paul during their days with the Los Angeles Clippers, so it will be interesting to see if he gets an opportunity in the desert.
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