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While there was some added drama, Doc Rivers and the Philadelphia 76ers are off to the Eastern Conference semifinals. They managed to travel back to Toronto and win a pivotal Game 6 in dominant fashion 132-97 on Thursday night.
Early on, it looked as though the Sixers were going to make quick work of Toronto. After jumping out to a 3-0 lead, some were even calling for a sweep. The Raptors refused to roll over, however. Thanks to a collective effort, they managed to win two straight games and at least make things interesting.
When Toronto began storming back, an old narrative – Rivers' inability to close out playoff series – reared its ugly head again. As is known, he is the only coach in history to blow multiple 3-1 leads. On top of that, his record in potential series-clinching games is among the worst of all time.
Despite the outside noise, Rivers and the Sixers showed up in Game 6 and took care of business. Now, they can look ahead to their matchup with Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat.
At a time where some were questioning Rivers, one analyst came to his defense. Kendrick Perkins, who played for him in Boston, is picking Philly to reach the conference finals. He feels his former coach, with whom he won the 2008 NBA championship, is locked in and ready to make a statement.
"Doc Rivers has a lot to prove, just as much as James Harden and Joel Embiid," Perkins said. "An angry Doc Rivers is not a person that you want to face right now.”
Doc Rivers looking to flip the script
Even with his playoff blemishes, Rivers is still one of the best at what he does. This season, the NBA named him as one of the 15 greatest coaches in league history. That being said, there is no denying that he is looking to change his story regarding the playoffs.
Along with bringing up Rivers' blown leads, people also like to throw dirt on his one championship. The claim is that he only won because his roster was littered with Hall of Famers (Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce).
Currently, Rivers is in a good position to silence some of his critics. Led by Joel Embiid and James Harden, the fourth-seeded Sixers are in a good position to compete with the top-seeded Miami Heat. It will be an uphill battle, but the 76ers have the talent to make a serious run at the championship.
With his reputation on the line, Rivers will be doing everything he can to get the Sixers one step closer to fulfilling their championship aspirations.
