For what seems like the 100th time in a row, a Doc Rivers team suffered a miserable Game 7 playoff loss, with the 76ers getting blown out, 112-88, in Boston on Sunday after taking a 3-2 series lead.
Celtics star Jayson Tatum scored 51 points in the game, which was tightly contested for the whole first half but devolved into a laugher in the second half and was never close after the early moments of the third quarter.
It was Rivers’ 10th Game 7 loss of his career — by far the most of any coach in NBA history — and also the fourth straight year he has lost in the second round of the playoffs, his teams holding leads in three of those series losses.
Naturally, that has led many to question his job security, with one reporter asking Rivers if he plans on being the Sixers’ coach next year.
“Yeah, I think I got two years left,” Rivers said after the game. “No one is safe in our business and I get that.”
Since winning a championship with the Celtics in 2007-08 and making it to the NBA Finals two years later, Rivers only has one conference championship appearance — also with the Celtics in 2011-12 — in 12 trips to the playoffs.
In seven seasons with Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and the “Lob City” Clippers, Rivers never made it past the conference semifinals.
He has yet to do so in three seasons with the 76ers, either, despite coaching 2023 MVP Joel Embiid and James Harden for a chunk of that time.
Rivers originally signed a five-year deal to coach Philadelphia in 2020, but three second-round playoff defeats later, it seems the questions are going to be there all offseason.
To add further doubt for Rivers, Harden — who has a player option for 2023-24 and is no lock to return to Philadelphia, either — had a somewhat telling quote Sunday when asked about his relationship with the coach, and whether or not he wanted Rivers back next season.
“Uh, our relationship is OK,” Harden said, seemingly not addressing the second part of the question.
Harden had quite the roller coaster of a series, going over 40 points twice (both Sixers wins), but scoring just 22 total points over the last two games of the series (on 7-for-27 shooting).
Harden has been linked closely to the Rockets, considering a return to the franchise he starred on for eight-plus seasons.
It’s certainly going to be an offseason full of uncertainty in Philadelphia.
Doc Rivers' future with 76ers sounds tenuous after humiliating playoff loss - New York Post
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