Outspoken NBA Vet Defends Former 76ers Coach Doc Rivers

Former guard Patrick Beverley defends former Philadelphia 76ers head coach, Doc Rivers.

Apr 21, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers reacts in the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers during game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

When it comes to former NBA veteran Patrick Beverley, no thought is filtered. Using the ‘Pat Bev Pod’ as a platform to get his personal thoughts off, the former Philadelphia 76ers guard has been one of the most outspoken players in the league over the last few seasons.

This week, Beverley made plenty of noise as he came to the defense of former Sixers head coach Doc Rivers.

When Beverley revealed he saw a ranking of NBA head coaches, he wasn’t too pleased with Rivers’ spot.

“They are trying to slander Doc,” Beverley said on his podcast. “I seen some coaching rankings, they had Doc 22. Dawg, I almost threw my phone.”

Beverley went as far as saying Doc Rivers is legendary head coach, Phil Jackson.

Jackson, best known for his time as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls throughout the 1990s and the Los Angeles Lakers throughout the early 2000s, is one of the most notable coaches in the game as he has 11 NBA Championships on his resume.

“This man—Phil Jackson is Doc Rivers, man,” Beverley claimed. “They got to put more respect on my coach name. They got to. It’s getting disrespectful. They wouldn’t do Phil Jackson like that. Why are they doing Doc like that? It’s wild. It’s really wild.”

The Doc Rivers disrespect is getting out of hand! pic.twitter.com/6pq9Zlij1F

— Pat Bev Pod (@PatBevPod) October 7, 2024

Since entering the coaching space in 1999, Doc Rivers held stints with four teams before landing with the Milwaukee Bucks last year.

At this point, Rivers has one NBA Championship on his resume, and a Coach of the Year nod, which came in 2000. His resume isn’t as decorated as Jackson’s, but Rivers has often been regarded as one of the top coaches in the NBA since his stints with the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Clippers.

It’s clear that a lack of NBA Championships with championship-caliber rosters have changed judgment about Rivers in recent years. During Rivers’ final season in LA, the 49-23 Clippers lost in the second round of the NBA Playoffs, leading to his firing.

Over a three-year run with the Sixers, Rivers averaged over 60 percent wins during the regular season. But in the playoffs, the Sixers couldn’t get past round two.

As for Rivers’ short stint with the Bucks so far, he took over the team midway through the 2023-2024 season and coached them to a 17-19 record. In the playoffs, the Bucks lost 2-4 in round one.

This season, the Bucks have high expectations once again. Rivers’ standing in coaching ranks for the year will likely depend on how far the Bucks can take the Giannis Antetokounmpo-Damian Lillard duo in its second go-round.

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