76ers vs. Clippers: Doc Rivers Discussed Message Before Comeback

Following Friday's matchup against the Clippers, 76ers head coach Doc Rivers discussed his message to his team before the comeback victory.

The first half of Friday’s matchup in South Philly between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Clippers was a lopsided one in favor of the visitors.

As the Clippers shot above 60 percent and scored 63 points in the first half of action, the Sixers struggled on both ends of the floor. While the Sixers were within 12 points at halftime, they trailed as many as 20 points through the first half of action.

Philadelphia needed to make some major adjustments in the second half to give themselves a chance. In the third quarter, it was clear that the message and refined gameplan was working.

“I said something to everyone at halftime; We weren't playing right,” said Sixers head coach Doc Rivers. “That's not who we've been. It’s funny, I liked our odds at halftime. I really did.”

Even slightly better execution on both ends of the floor could’ve made a notable difference for the Sixers on Friday, but they did even better than that.

Holding the Clippers to just 38 percent from the field in the third quarter, the Sixers managed to outscore Los Angeles 34-22 before the fourth quarter. Going into the final period, the Sixers tied the game up.

“I thought in the first half we did miss a lot of wide-open shots, but everything was half-court,” Rivers continued. “I think they were shooting 60 percent at halftime. You're not gonna win that game. And you know, we did grab the bench and say, ‘Listen, you guys come in.’ We made an adjustment. We kept [James Harden] back in with the bench and [Tobias Harris] to start the third quarter. I think that was a good move for us.”

The Sixers’ bench went from scoring just two points in the first half to putting up 22 points in the final two quarters. Meanwhile, the team got a stellar effort from its starters, as Joel Embiid tacked on 21 points in the second half, while James Harden produced 11 of his 21 assists for the night.

In the end, the Sixers completed the comeback and put the Clippers away 119-114. Philly wrapped up their homestand at 7-0 before hitting the road to face the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.