The impact of Doc Rivers on the Philadelphia 76ers Success this season
The early days of the Process was a memorable, but gut-wrenching time for everybody. Seeing the flashes of potential that the Sixers had, but watching them win 10 games in a season at the same time, was a tough time. Part of that was due to the roster, but another big part was coaching. Brett Brown coached 7 seasons with the Sixers, netting an all time 221-344 record with the team.
Although I was a Brett Brown guy, it was pretty evident that after last season, the team needed a change at the Head Coaching Position. Brown was fired on August 24th, and the coaching search immediately began. Names were being thrown out left and right, but it seemed like all along, the Sixers knew their guy. Doc Rivers was officially announced as newest Head Coach on October 3rd, 2020. The impact that he has had on this team is one of the biggest reasons for this team’s success this season.
Doc Rivers is one of the biggest names in NBA History, being an all time historic coach in the league for over 20 years. Doc has an all time win percentage of .583, with over 180 games of playoff experience under his belt. The Sixers over the last 2-3 years finally started to show playoff and elite potential, but the general census of what was holding them back, was the coach. Doc Rivers, in his first month of coaching with the team, has already been awarded Coach of the Month from the NBA. The team is off to the races with Doc, and they aren’t looking back.
At 16-6, sitting atop the Eastern Conference, with a 2.5 game lead on Milwaukee. the Sixers are arguably the best team in the league right now. They are undefeated with their starting 5 all healthy, have 3 players playing at an all star level, and the front-running MVP playing the best season of his career. Doc has inspired these players and has taken them to another level. Coaching matters in the NBA, whether you believe that or not. The difference we’ve seen this year in dedication, excitement, play, and chemistry is all thanks to the man running the show. These guys love Doc, they want to play for him, and they want to win with him.
Doc Rivers is known for his effect on the court, but his passion for off the court situations is what really stands out to me. His passion for racial equality, impact on the community, and so much more is another side of his personality that not all coaches have. His voice in the sports community is respected by everyone, and that doesn’t deserve to go unnoticed. Rivers is an all around coach, and the Sixers got themselves a great basketball mind, but an even better man. If there’s a year to win it all, it’s this one, and Doc is atop the list of reasons why that championship feels more reachable in the 2020-2021 season.
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Mandatory Credit: ESPN
This article drastically undersells how good of a coach Brett Brown was. Once he had any semblance of a legitimate roster, his teams were winning 50+ games with regularity. To say that “part of the reason” the Sixers won 10 games in a season was because of the roster is a wild premise. The roster was THE ENTIRE reason they lost 72 times that year.