Hours after he was fired following the 76ers’ second-round defeat against the Celtics, Doc Rivers released a statement Tuesday night thanking Philadelphia fans and the organization for their support over the past three seasons.
“I really enjoyed my time in Philadelphia—what a great city. I want to start by thanking my staff, the players, and the ownership group for their support,” Rivers’s statement read. “We got a lot done in a short amount of time.
“I’d also like to thank the 76ers fans. Whew … you guys are tough, and I think you’ve learned I’m tough too. I absolutely love your commitment to the city and its teams—never lose that. I wanted, just as badly as you, to bring another championship to Philadelphia. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to lead, to learn, and to love this great city.”
The Sixers held a 3-2 series lead over Boston before dropping the final two games, losing in the conference semifinals for the third consecutive season. Rivers posted a 154-82 regular-season record during his Philadelphia tenure and was dismissed with two years left on his contract. Over the course of his head coaching career, Rivers now owns a 6-10 record in Game 7s, giving him the most Game 7 defeats in NBA history.
