Welcome back, Doc Rivers.
The expected return of Rivers to the NBA sidelines is the biggest coaching storyline of the season so far. We all figured Rivers would be back somewhere eventually. His job as an ESPN analyst was just a pitstop. But did we see him getting another chance this quickly?
Rivers is in a prime situation, at least for the short term. He’ll be credited with any improvement by the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks (31-13) own the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. They also have shortcomings that led to rookie coach Adrian Griffin being fired after only 43 games.
Now, here comes Rivers to rescue the season. Rivers will get immediate respect and the benefit of the doubt from Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. However, it’s difficult to shift gears in the middle of a season. This is a team with an underachieving defense. That’s hard to fix without a significant change in personnel.
For NBA fans, whatever the outcome, this is fascinating. Rivers was desperate to get back in the game because he’s desperate to change the narrative of his career. These days, when you mention Rivers, you don’t immediately think of him as a championship coach who restored the glory of the Boston Celtics in 2008.
You think of him being the only coach in NBA history to blow three 3-1 leads in the playoffs.
- It happened to him with the Orlando Magic in 2003 against the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference first round.
- It happened to him with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2015 against the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference semifinals.
- It happened to him with the Los Angeles Clippers (again) in 2020 against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals.
Call that bad luck if you want. No one is accusing Rivers of being a poor coach. However, something is amiss when it happens three times to the same guy. Rivers’ record in Game 7s is an abysmal 6-10— the most Game 7 losses in history.
Rivers hasn’t won a Game 7 since 2015 in the first round against the San Antonio Spurs. His postseason failures led to him being ousted by the Clippers and the Philadelphia Sixers. Our last image of Rivers coaching a meaningful game was his Sixers getting blown out in Boston 112-88 in Game 7 of last year’s Eastern Conference semifinals. Jayson Tatum torched Philadelphia with 51 points, the most ever scored in a Game 7.
When coaches don’t have coaching jobs but are looking to stay connected to the game, the best option in television. In October, when asked about a possible return to the sidelines, Rivers said, “Do I miss coaching? I don’t know yet. I think let the season go on, and I’ll find that out. But this is the journey I’m on right now.”
His new journey starts in a familiar place. He’s a Marquette alum working in the city where he starred as a college point guard.
How will this journey end? Nobody knows. But we should all be rooting for Rivers to make a deep run this season. It would be tremendous theatre for Rivers to face three of his former teams. Imagine him taking on the Sixers and the Celtics in the semifinals and conference finals respectively. Imagine him getting to the NBA Finals to take on the Clippers.
A Rivers Revenge Tour is unlikely. A lot would have to fall in place for this to happen. Regardless, Rivers’ return to the NBA will add juice to the playoffs. It also gives the longtime coach what he desperately seeks: a shot at redemption.
