"'Hey, that's on my resume, stupid stuff I've done in my life, people have a right to bring it up'" - Charles Barkley is putting onus on Doc Rivers if 76ers botch series against Raptors
Doc Rivers recently discussed his past collapses with the Orlando Magic in 2003 and the Los Angeles Clippers in 2015 in an interview. It sparked a response from Charles Barkley on TNT's "Inside the NBA", with the former MVP saying:
"He's (Doc Rivers) clearly defensive, but, the past is the past. I would've answered the question 'Hey, that's on my resume, stupid stuff I've done in my life, people have a right to bring it up, I can't sugar coat it. That's just the way this thing works.'"
Barkley believes that despite what Doc Rivers might believe, he still has immense pressure on him this season:
So, he's sensitive, I understand that, but he is under pressure. They made the biggest trade of the season and they were up 3-0, now it's 3-2 and now they're going on the road. I think it's going to be very difficult for them to win tomorrow ...whatever's on your resume is fair game."
The Philadelphia 76ers play the Toronto Raptors at the Scotiabank Arena tonight. The 76ers currently lead the series 3-2 and are coming off two straight losses, one at home and one in Toronto.
There's a lot on the line for the Philadelphia 76ers and Doc Rivers
Back in February, the Philadelphia 76ers made the biggest trade of the season and gave up Ben Simmons, Andre Drummond and Seth Curry for James Harden and Paul Millsap. The trade was primarily made for Joel Embiid in order to turn his MVP caliber season into a legitimate championship run. Many dubbed the Harden-Embiid duo to be reminiscent of the Kobe-Shaq partnership in the early 2000s.
Five games into the first-round, that comparison seems to have fallen abysmally short of the mark. Harden is averaging a mere 18 points per game on 37.3% from the field. The absence of the shooting and explosiveness that Harden brought to the table during his time with the Houston Rockets has been thinly veiled by his assist numbers this season.
Joel Embiid's injured thumb just adds to the woes of Doc Rivers, Daryl Morey, and the 76ers association. Nobody has ever blown a 3-0 lead, but up until 2015, no one had blown multiple 3-1 leads either. If Toronto somehow manages to force a Game 7, the road becomes even rockier for Philly.