Doc Rivers may get his wish.
After being fired by the 76ers on May 16, the coach said he was looking for an opportunity to continue coaching. The Phoenix Suns just might provide that opportunity.
Rivers is interviewing for the Suns’ vacant head-coaching position, according to reports. The Suns fired Monty Williams on May 13 on the heels of a second-round loss to the Denver Nuggets.
But the Sixers let the future Hall of Fame coach go with two seasons left on the five-year, $40 million deal he signed in October 2020.
Rivers received a lot of the blame for the Sixers’ 112-88 Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics on May 14 in the Eastern Conference semifinals at TD Garden. It marked the third consecutive season that Rivers’ squad suffered a second-round postseason exit.
The Sixers lost in seven games in 2021 to the Atlanta Hawks before losing in six games last season to the Miami Heat.
Under Rivers, the Sixers clinched the 2021 conference regular-season title. Their 54-28 record this season was their best mark since going 56-26 in 2000-01. And the Sixers’ 154 regular-season wins in Rivers’ three seasons are the third-highest victory total by an NBA team during that time.
Overall, he has a 1,097-763 record over 24 seasons with the Orlando Magic, Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, and Sixers. He has the second-highest regular-season win total among active coaches and ranks ninth in NBA history. Rivers is on the verge of surpassing former Sixers coach and Hall of Famer Larry Brown (1,098 wins).
He also ranks fourth all time in postseason victories (111) and captured an NBA title with Boston in 2008. Rivers won the 2000 NBA Coach of the Year award when he was with Orlando and was named coach of the month twice this season.
