Doc Rivers, named one of the 15 Greatest Coaches in NBA History, has encountered many challenges in his coaching career. Despite leading his teams to the playoffs, they mostly fell short of clinching the title. Rivers’ best achievement was leading the Boston Celtics to the NBA championship in the 2007-08 season. Despite these setbacks, he believes that he has never fallen short.
In a recent interview with Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Rivers took the opportunity to address the critics who have questioned his coaching abilities. The 63-year-old coach cited his NBA Championship victory and his tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers as evidence to support his position.
“What does that mean? Like, we didn’t win a title? I go back in Philly. I took that job after we lost in the first round 4-0… The next year.. We are one game away from the ECF.” Rivers said.
Rivers’ statement did not sit well with fans, who began criticizing him in the comment section of Legion Hoops’ post on X. One fan said, “This dude REFUSES to take any accountability.”
Meanwhile, another fan mentioned, “He cooked y’all just hating.”
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Another fan commented, “Never came up short” from a man who has been fired multiple times.”
A basketball enthusiast mentioned, “lol nobody takes him serious.”
Another fan criticized Rivers, saying, “The delusion is crazy.”
A sports enthusiast questioned, “Isn’t he literally known for choking playoff leads?”
Another fan commented, “Biggest fraud as a head coach.”
Rivers Draws Inspiration from Deion Sanders to Overcome Criticism
In the last NBA season, Doc Rivers led the Milwaukee Bucks to the NBA playoffs, but they lost in the first round against the Indiana Pacers. The 2024-25 NBA preseason started with disappointment for the Bucks as they lost three out of four games. However, as the new NBA season is about to begin, Rivers is pushing back against the critics by drawing inspiration from American football coach Deion Sanders.
“My numbers don’t lie… It’s almost like Deion Sanders said in that interview. There’s nothing you can say or do that’s going to take away from what I’ve done, and I’ll never allow that.” Rivers said in a recent interview with the New York Times.
Aside from being inspired by Sanders, Rivers also draws inspiration from former NBA player Kevin Garnett, as he recently revealed in an interview. With these influential figures shaping his approach, the 63-year-old coach is preparing to embark on another NBA season.
Also Read: Who is Callie Rivers? All You Need To Know About Seth Curry’s Wife And Doc Rivers’ Daughter
