76ers fire Doc Rivers after losing to Celtics in conference semifinals
BOSTON -- The Doc Rivers era in Philadelphia is over.
The 76ers fired Rivers on Tuesday, following the team's second-round playoff exit against Boston.
BREAKING: The 76ers dismissed coach Doc Rivers on Tuesday, sources tell ESPN. Rivers led the Sixers to the Eastern Conference Semifinals in each of his three seasons on the job. pic.twitter.com/WM0t4LhrAz
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 16, 2023
The Sixers held a 3-2 series lead over Boston after winning Game 5 at TD Garden in convincing fashion but proceeded to lose Game 6 at home and Game 7 back in Boston via blowout.
Rivers represents the third high-profile firing this postseason, following Monty Williams from Phoenix and Mike Budenholzer from Milwaukee.
The best 3 records over the last 3 seasons belong to the Suns, Bucks and 76ers.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 16, 2023
Monty Williams, Mike Budenholzer and Doc Rivers are no longer the head coaches for each team. https://t.co/sck5EOw3lZ
Rivers led the Sixers to a 154-82 regular-season record over the past three seasons, but the Sixers went just 20-15 in the playoffs, going 3-3 in their six series.
The Sixers have failed to reach the conference finals in their last six postseasons, dating back to the Brett Brown era.
The 61-year-old Rivers has coached for 24 seasons -- five with Orland, nine with Boston, seven with the Clippers and three in Philly. He owns a 1,097-763 regular-season record and a 111-104 postseason record, winning his lone title with Boston in 2008. He's coached a team to the Finals just one other time, also with the Celtics in 2010.
After Sunday's Game 7 loss, Rivers said he expected to remain the head coach in Philly but understood the reality of the situation.
"Yeah, I think I got two years left," he said. "No one's safe in our business, you know. And I get that."