"I hope Doc do get fired!!!" - Kendrick Perkins unleashes fury on Philadelphia 76ers after another elimination, urges people to get Doc Rivers "AWAY from Harden!" and join forces with LeBron James at LA Lakers
With the Philadelphia 76ers being eliminated from the 2022 playoffs, the 76ers and head coach Doc Rivers were on the receiving end of scathing comments from ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins.
After a dismal performance that saw them eliminated from the playoffs, Perkins had this to say about the 76ers' situation with Doc Rivers:
I hope Doc do get fired!!! He need to be in LA with that Lakers at least he knows the Point/Foward Lebron James is going to be in shape and actually compete. Get him AWAY from Harden please. Carry the hell on…
"I hope Doc do get fired!!! He need to be in LA with that Lakers at least he knows the Point/Foward Lebron James is going to be in shape and actually compete. Get him AWAY from Harden please. Carry the hell on…"
Perkins played under Rivers during his time in the NBA with the Boston Celtics. While the initial sentiment does appear to be a scathing criticism of Rivers' coaching ability, the overall tone of the comment suggests concern for his former head coach.
Mentioning the LA Lakers as a potential landing spot for the former championship coach, Kendrick Perkins took a direct shot at James Harden while mentioning the Lakers and their superstar LeBron James as being the ideal fit for Rivers.
Facing a 90-99 loss in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Philadelphia ended the series with a 4-2 loss. After a poor display in Game 5 as well, the 76ers looked out of sorts as the series returned home for the elimination game.
The Philadelphia 76ers' failure to make a deep playoff run has been a bit of a trend. While they attempted to make changes by pairing their superstar Joel Embiid with James Harden and even hired a new head coach, the result hasn't been much different.
There is enough that can be said about Rivers' reputation as a playoff coach. Given the two postseason collapses with the LA Clippers, Doc Rivers hasn't enjoyed the same success he had in the playoffs since his Celtics days.
However, there is only so much that can be attributed to the coach. With a complete breakdown on the offensive end over the last two games, the Philadelphia 76ers may consider personnel changes on a large scale.
What is next for Doc Rivers and the Philadelphia 76ers?
After yet another disappointing postseason performance, the Philadelphia 76ers will have to return to the drawing board.
While they looked like a solid unit in the regular season and even appeared as title contenders with James Harden in the mix, the 76ers are a flawed roster.
Some considerations are to be made with regard to Harden staying with the team going forward. While the superstar guard has suggested that he intends to continue his journey with Philadelphia, this may not be in the side's best interest given his form as of late.
"I'll be here"
James Harden says he'll be in Philly next season https://t.co/LKwzG2tIXC
On the other end, Doc Rivers appears to be a likely candidate for the LA Lakers' vacant head coaching spot. While several sources have claimed that Rivers has no interest in the position, the 76ers may opt to go down a different path.