Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press
Doc Rivers doesn’t think he was the only reason for the Los Angeles Clippers‘ playoff exit last postseason in his response to criticism from Paul George:
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
#Sixers coach Doc Rivers on Paul George’s comments about the Los Angeles Clippers lack of adjustments while blowing a 3-1 series to the Denver Nuggets in the second round of last season’s playoffs. Paul was also criticism of how Rivers, the former Clippers coach, utilized him. https://t.co/2d2I1ODy2Q
Rivers was fired as head coach of the Clippers this offseason after his team blew a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals. He was replaced by Tyronn Lue, who was an assistant on the team.
George put some of the blame for the loss on Rivers during an interview on All The Smoke:
“We lost. But during that whole process, we never worked on adjustments,” George said (h/t Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN). “We never worked on what to do differently. We just literally having the same s–t happen over and over again.”
Another complaint from George was that Rivers didn’t play him to his strengths, instead using him “like a Ray Allen or like a JJ Redick—all pindowns.”
The six-time All-Star spent one season with the Clippers after coming over in a trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder. He averaged 21.5 points per game playing during the regular season, his fewest since 2014-15, and didn’t make an All-NBA team after being first team in 2018-19.
The struggles continued in the postseason with inconsistency holding back the wing. He had 15 points or fewer in six of his 13 playoff games with Los Angeles.
George is clearly expecting more success under Lue, although Rivers doesn’t believe things will be much different.
Rivers is now the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers and will try to help a team that lost in the first round of the playoffs last season.