JJ Redick calls out former Sixers coach Doc Rivers for troubling trend

JJ Redick calls out former Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers for a troubling trend in his coaching career.

Doc Rivers did many good things in his three seasons as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers. He led the Sixers to the No. 1 seed for the 2021 playoffs. He compiled a 154-82 record across those three seasons. And he helped Joel Embiid take steps forward in his game.

However, the Sixers could never get past the second round of the playoffs. They fell in the East semifinals in each of his three seasons, and the Sixers  moved on from Rivers. They hired Nick Nurse as their new coach.

Now, Rivers is the coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. He took over at the midway point of the season, and the Bucks have struggled. They are 3-7 in the 10 games Rivers has coached. The future Hall of Fame coach stated taking over a team midseason is hard and explained why he and the Bucks have struggled.

Former Sixers guard JJ Redick, who played for Rivers while with the Los Angeles Clippers, called out Rivers for what has been a troubling trend:

I’ve seen the trend for years! The trend is always making excuses. Doc, we get it. Taking over a team in the middle of a season is hard. It’s hard. We get it. Just like getting traded in the middle of the season. It’s hard for a player. We get it, but it’s always an excuse. It’s always throwing your team under the bus. … There’s never accountability with that guy.

Rivers will head to the Hall of Fame in the future, but he has a reputation for not getting it done in the playoffs. The Sixers had a 3-2 series lead over the Boston Celtics headed home for Game 6, and Rivers and the Sixers failed to get the job done.

Rivers and the Bucks will take on the Sixers in Philadelphia on Feb. 25.

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