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Doc Rivers and the Philadelphia 76ers finished atop the Eastern Conference last season with a 49-23 record and lost in the second round of the playoffs to Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks in seven games. In that seventh game, Ben Simmons passed up a dunk that would have tied the score late - at home. That Simmons missed dunk has been played repeatedly, and the mere mention of the dubious, non-dunk attempt is the single reason Philadelphia 76ers fans want Ben Simmons traded - immediately. The problem is, Doc Rivers and the 76ers front office want the enigmatic Ben Simmons to remain. With so much up in the air, Doc Rivers could get caught up in a fan firestorm if the Philadelphia 76ers have an underwhelming season. He does not want that to happen in Philly or he might be out of a job at season's end. That's how it works in Philly, and with the news that Ben Simmons practiced fully with the team today, this is a pivotal season for Doc Rivers, so let's delve into why.
Devon Givens, talk radio host, 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia on Doc Rivers
I hit up Devon Givens of ESPN's The Fanatic in Philadelphia this morning to see what the Philadelphia 76ers insider sees in Doc Rivers this season. His response:
"Right now, there are two ways to look at the Philadelphia 76ers season for Doc Rivers and the 76ers organization: one with Ben Simmons and one without Ben Simmons, and at some point this will all play itself out. Rivers just has to be himself. Adjust. He's been around long enough to win NBA Coach of the Year, an NBA championship as a head coach, and has respect from his players and understands how to adapt to situations. He likes this team with Ben Simmons or without Ben Simmons, and believes this team -- led by Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and the rest of the players can do some really good things in the Eastern Conference."
#5 The Philadelphia 76ers fans want results
It doesn't matter who the coach is in Philadelphia, the fans demand results. It really gets out of hand in Philadelphia with some fans, and that the end of the 76ers season was so dramatic, fans will be triggered by any ineptitude. For now, fans in Philadelphia are cautiously optimistic about what kind of job Doc Rivers will do this season, and that can completely change at the drop of a hat. The Philadelphia 76ers last won an NBA title in 1983, and last appeared in the NBA Finals in 2001. It doesn't matter that the team was consistently becoming an NBA force until the wheels fell off vs. the Atlanta Hawks. All the fans see is a dunk not dunked, and if Ben Simmons never plays again in Philadelphia, fans will shift directions and come for Doc Rivers. The entitlement is astoundingly absurd, yet it is what it is in Philly.
#4 Keep his composure
Philadelphia is a unique sports town in that the highs are extremely high and the lows are the worst nadir. The city is starving for a win - any significant win - and Doc Rivers could be the one to stabilize it all - and he should be. For that to occur, Doc Rivers has to trust his leaders - Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris - to set the tone and willfully do whatever it takes to win. Doc Rivers has seen it all, done it all as a NBA player and definitely as a coach. He has the reputation of blowing playoff leads, yet none of that matters if Doc Rivers leads the Philadelphia 76ers out of the second round of the NBA playoffs.
Also Read: Who is Doc Rivers’ wife, Kristen Campion?
#3 Doc Rivers must manage what may come
Doc Rivers has a quandry. Despite the optimism and the positive fall out that will occur with Ben Simmons actively practicing with the 76ers, nothing has changed (at least publicly) about Ben Simmons' trade demands. If that doesn't change, and the Philadelphia 76ers play the season in an uninspired way because of a lack of team chemistry, there will be a trade. If that trade goes down, Doc Rivers has to coach the new parts with a focus on doing damage in the playoffs. The Philadelphia 76ers don't have to get ready, they must stay ready so when the playoffs happen, no stone will be left unturned.
#2 Don't lie to the fans
Doc Rivers is one of the best coaches in the NBA regarding media interaction. He has the best stories of his playing days, has been on the media side when he broadcast the NBA in the booth, and has a son in the league. He knows the sport, and that wisdom cannot come out as lip service when the Philadelphia 76ers face adversity this year. The storylines this season will be twisted in Philadelphia to accommodate fans' angst, and what will be important is how Doc Rivers addresses the media within those storylines most likely surrounding the play of Ben Simmons. If he comes off as a politician, he will become a fan target, and it will get ugly.
#1 Doc Rivers and the Philadelphia 76ers have to win
All will be forgiven if the Philadelphia 76ers and Doc Rivers continue to climb in the East. Every contender, with the notable exception of the Brooklyn Nets of course, has gotten decidedly better from top to bottom. Jimmy Butler, a former 76ers star under Doc Rivers, and his Miami Heat are probably the most improved team in the league considering their above average offseason. The New York Knicks seem galvanized. Chicago's offseason is on par with the Miami Heat's, and even the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers made a significant offseason splash.
The 76ers cannot fall back to the pack. What will be very interesting to see is if the adversity of the offseason has affected Ben Simmons. Does he have an edge to him after all the vitriol from fans, social media and the press? Tim Grover, the well known trainer of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dywane Wade, Charles Barkely and others, told me once that when a player goes through adversity and channels his dark side, there is a transformation, and that player becomes more apt to succeed. Everything points to that potentially happening in Philly with Simmons if he's willing to stay in Philadelphia. If that occurs, it will be all up to Doc Rivers to plug in Ben Simmons and play for Eastern Conference supremacy.
Guess the Lakers players!
