The mere mention of Doc Rivers’ name is bound to get some (maybe most) Sixers fans feeling some kind of way. Be that as it may, Rivers was onBill Simmons’ podcast last Friday, throwing flowers in the direction of the team he coached from 2020-23.
The episode dropped before the Sixers split a pair of road games over the weekend, leaving them with a league-best 9-2 record. It is their fastest start since the Allen Iverson-led club won its first 10 games in 2000-01, en route to a Finals appearance.
“Right
now,” Rivers said, “they’re the best team in the NBA. They’re gonna be hard to beat.”
The 65-year-old Rivers, whose 27-year run as a head coach appears to be at an end after he spent the last three seasons as the Milwaukee Bucks’ boss, went on to say that Jaylen Brown is among the three best small forwards in the league, that Joel Embiid is no worse than the fourth-best center and that Tyrese Maxey is among the top five point guards.
“AndLeBron (James), whatever he is, top five,” Rivers said. “A four (i.e., power forward) right now.”
And what of VJ Edgecombe?
“Top five defender at the 2-spot right now,” Rivers said.
He didn’t stop there, either.
“I still think that, and I’ve said this before, anybody can go out and get the stars,” he said. “It’s the other guys. And I think that’s where they hit the home run. … (Anfernee) Simons, (Kentavious) Caldwell-Pope,Dean Wade.”
Pope, 33, is in his 14th season. He is, Rivers said, “perfect for this team, because he’s winning. He’s playing a role to win. Guys like Caldwell-Pope, late in their career, they can’t play on a bad team. It just doesn’t fit. They’re trying to play right. Now he’s in a perfect role.”
And to the veteran coach Simons “looks better,” even though his shooting has been erratic.
“He looks like this year, he’s accepted his role even more,” Rivers said.
Rivers reserved his greatest praise for LeBron and Maxey.
“I like LeBron’s role right now,” he said. “Love it.”
Later, he added, “LeBron is who I would have loved him to have been early in his career (i.e., a playmaker), even though he had to score. He’s the closest to Magic Johnson to ever have played, as far as being big and able to facilitate. LeBron’s vision is still underrated – like, he’s not a good passer; he’s a great passer, and he sees it early.”
James’ scoring average (15.6) is far and away the lowest of his 24-year career, but he is averaging around seven assists, as well as seven rebounds.
“It’s the happiest I’ve seen him in a long time,” Rivers said. “I don’t think he was ever that happy in LA (while playing for the Lakers the last eight seasons) – like this happiness. I’m not saying he wasn’t happy in LA, but this is true happiness.”
Maxey, meanwhile, seems content no matter the circumstances. Rivers saw that for himself when he coached him in Philadelphia, and continues to regard the young point guard as one of the most upbeat players he’s ever been around.
“Maxey’s one of these guys that can fit on any team,” he said. “I was telling Grant Hill(the managing director of USA Basketball), if he’s not on the Olympic team, you’re crazy, because he’s just going to do good. Even if he’s not playing, he smiles. He’s happy. He’s competitive. And he’s a phenomenal basketball player.”
Rivers’ wide-ranging conversation with Simmons also included a mention of former Sixer Matisse Thybulle, who has settled into a rotational role with the Lakers, his third team in eight NBA seasons.
“I’m happy for him,” Rivers said. “I didn’t think he loved the game enough. … He kind of was this flower child. Honestly right now, watching him play, it’s like he kind of realized, ‘I was almost out of the league.’ … He’s a smart kid, and he kind of realized, ‘You know what, I’ve got to get cooking here.’”
Rivers called Thybulle “a hell of a defender” while adding that he “gambles too much.” He also invoked the memory of the December 2021 game between the Sixers and Warriors. Entering play Stephen Curry needed 10 three-pointers to break Ray Allen’s career record, but Thybulle limited him to three triples in 14 attempts, and became the first player to block two of Curry’s threes in a single game. In all Curry managed 18 points on 6-for-20 shooting in the 102-93 Sixers victory.
Rivers said on the Simmons pod that while he and Curry are family – Stephen’s brother Seth, another ex-Sixer, is married to Rivers’ daughter Callie – he had made it clear in family discussions he did not want to see Steph break the record that night.
“It was all on Matisse,” Doc said. “He guarded the hell out of him. Because Steph takes some shots, and here comes Matisse from behind, with those long arms. He recovers. So yeah, he can really defend.”
