NBA Rumors - Doc Rivers set to be interviewed for Phoenix Suns coaching job along with 3 other candidates

The Phoenix Suns are reportedly closing in on former 76ers coach Doc Rivers and three others as Monty Williams' replacement.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski had this to report:

“The Phoenix Suns are advancing four coaches to meet for interviews in the coming days: Nick Nurse, Doc Rivers, Kings associate HC Jordi Fernandez and Suns associate HC Kevin Young.”

The Phoenix Suns made a massive trade for Kevin Durant in February. They gave up depth and balance for an elite talent that made them heavy favorites to come out of the Western Conference.

Monty Williams and the Suns, however, lost Chris Paul to a groin injury in the third quarter of Game 2 in the semis against the Denver Nuggets. They lost in six games and were blown off the court in a close-out game.

Williams was also the head play-caller when Phoenix was also humiliated by the Dallas Mavericks in Game 7 of last year’s playoffs. The Suns had the best record that season and looked unbeatable until they ran into Luka Doncic’s Mavs.

Monty Williams was a former Coach of the Year winner, who helped lead the Phoenix Suns to the 2020 NBA Finals. After taking a 2-0 lead against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, they did not win a game again in the championship round.

For a team that’s trying to get over the hump, Doc Rivers may not be the most popular choice among Suns fans.

Rivers was axed by the Philadelphia 76ers a few weeks ago as the team blew a 3-2 series lead against the Boston Celtics. The champion coach has now been at the helm of seven teams that have wasted a 3-1 or 3-2 advantage in the playoffs.

Since 2015, Rivers has lost 10 straight games to make it to the Conference finals. He was with the LA Clippers in seven of those while the rest were with the 76ers.

The veteran coach has lost 10 Game 7s till now, five more than the second-placed Pat Riley. He couldn’t get MVP Joel Embiid to get going in two close-out games while he got an up-and-down series from James Harden.

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The Philadelphia 76ers were stuck in the second round of the playoffs during Doc Rivers’ tenure

In Doc River’s first season with the Philadelphia 76ers, the team won the Eastern Conference. They eliminated the eighth-seeded Washington Wizards in five games and faced the fifth-ranked Atlanta Hawks in the semis.

Trae Young was in playoff mode and led the Hawks’ stunning upset of the 76ers on the road. Ben Simmons was never the same after that series.

The following year, they lost to the Miami Heat in six games. Perhaps Joel Embiid’s injury heading into the series was the reason the 76ers retained Doc Rivers.

After another blown lead, this time to the Boston Celtics was ultimately the last straw. Embiid was playing through yet another injury but seemed fine in Games 3-5.

Philadelphia 76ers team president Daryl Morey eventually decided that Doc Rivers was no longer the right coach to lead them next season. Perhaps the Phoenix Suns could make it work with him alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.

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