The Philadelphia 76ers have officially dismissed Doc Rivers as head coach earlier today. The news comes after the Sixers were eliminated from the Eastern Conference semi-finals for a third consecutive season. On Sunday, the team lost to the Boston Celtics 112-88 in Game 7.
ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the contenders for the head coach position include Mike Budenholzer, Sam Cassell, Mike D’Antoni, Nick Nurse, Frank Vogel and Monty Williams. In the post-season, NBA fans saw leagues make major head coach changes, with Williams out at Phoenix Suns and Nurse out at the Toronto Raptors. The moves signal major changes within the league as teams are already looking to rebuild for the upcoming season.
In the three seasons with the 76ers, Rivers delivered a 154-82 (.653) record, including 54 wins in the 2022-23 season. Under his coaching, the team has become one of three teams in the top 10 in btoh offensive and defensive efficiency. 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said in a statement, “Doc is one of the most successful coaches in NBA history, a future Hall of Famer, and someone I respect immensely.” He added, “We’re grateful for all he did in his three seasons here and thank him for the important impact he made on our franchise. After having the chance to reflect upon our season, we decided that certain changes are necessary to further our goals of competing for a championship.”
In other sports news, Conor McGregor vows to claim all-time UFC knockout record.
