Doc Rivers Fires Back at Reporter Following Loss to LA Clippers

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers was not happy with this postgame question

Nick Wass / AP photo

No coach in recent NBA history has been more prone to blowing big leads than Doc Rivers. Over the last two seasons, five of the eight biggest blown leads in playoff games belong to Doc. After the LA Clippers collapsed in the bubble, Rivers became the only coach in NBA history with three different blown 3-1 leads. On Friday night, he added to his long list of blown leads, letting a 24-point cushion slip away at home against a Clippers team that was missing Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

Despite all of his recent failures, Doc Rivers wants his respect. After the game, Doc was asked by Austin Krell of USA Today what about this loss could be attributed to coaching. He answered by saying, "Would you ask Pop that question? No you wouldn’t. So don’t ask me that question. I’ve earned that." Rivers clearly feels as if his coaching was not the issue in this loss, similar to the way he has responded to playoff collapses the last two seasons.

After Ty Lue was named the new head coach of the LA Clippers, following the team's decision to part ways with Doc Rivers, Doc said that "Ty Lue was sitting right next to me, it ain't going to be much different." So far, it has been very different, with the Clippers now being known for mounting comebacks, rather than allowing them.

With the loss, the 76ers drop to 6th in the Eastern Conference; however, with the top-7 seeds being separated by just 3.5 games, a hot streak could propel them back towards the top.

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