The Philadelphia 76ers came up short in their NBA playoffs second-round matchup against the Miami Heat, losing the series in six games.
It is yet another year where the 76ers have fallen short of the Eastern Conference Finals, something that the organization had done in four of the last five seasons.
The team went all out this season to attempt to be a championship contender, trading for aging superstar James Harden, who is looking older and older by the minute.
Much of the blame from the NBA world has been placed on 76ers head coach Doc Rivers.
Stephen A. Smith on James Harden and Doc Rivers after the Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated by the Miami Heat. 🏀🔥 pic.twitter.com/yL3YVij1dp
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 13, 2022
Doc Rivers is quickly rising up my list of least likable Philly sports people of my lifetime. He's arrogant, he takes no accountability, and he talks to Philly fans like we're morons. Can't wait til he's gone.
— James Seltzer (@JamesSeltzer) May 13, 2022
Geez, Doc Rivers is such an extraordinary excuse maker.
— Glen Macnow (@RealGlenMacnow) May 13, 2022
While some of the blame certainly should be on Rivers as the head coach, there certainly seems to be more surrounding the organization that is causing issues.
76ers guard Danny Green discussed the matter on his Audacy podcast “Inside The Green Room” on Wednesday. Green (seen at top with Rivers during a first-round game in Toronto on April 20) said he has warned Rivers of potential issues in the locker room, and now reminds him that some things certainly need to change moving forward.
“It’s tough. I tell Doc all the time he has his work cut out for him, even before he got here,” Green said. “There are a lot of things that need to be changed, and that was the level of maturity. And a lot of it is on the veterans and the coaching staff, but it’s hard to change all of that – that inexperience, that mental toughness, that maturity – within two years.”
“But a lot has gotten better since then. Joel [Embiid] is mature, he’s gotten better, a lot of guys have gotten better and understand. But to build those habits, it takes time.”
Green’s future with the organization, and even in the NBA after his unfortunate ACL tear in the team’s elimination game last week, is certainly in jeopardy. His contract isn’t guaranteed for next season. So it’s interesting that he is now speaking about some issues surrounding the 76ers organization.
Green is a long-time veteran of the NBA, playing on well-coached teams like the San Antonio Spurs with Gregg Popovich throughout his career. So he certainly isn’t used to some of the immaturity issues that he says exist in the locker room in Philadelphia.
It will be interesting to see how the 76ers move forward with an aging Harden and no clear third star alongside Joel Embiid moving forward.
[Audacy; photo from John E. Sokolowski/USA Today Sports]