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The 76ers are moving on from Doc Rivers.

Philadelphia fired the head coach on Tuesday, after the team was embarrassed in the second half of a 112-88 Game 7 loss to the Celtics on Sunday in the second round of the 2023 NBA playoffs.

Rivers, 61, reached the second round in each of his three seasons as the 76ers’ head coach, but lost all three series.

“We’re grateful for all he did in his three seasons here and thank him for the important impact he made on our franchise,” team president Daryl Morey said in a statement. “After having the chance to reflect upon our season, we decided that certain changes are necessary to further our goals of competing for a championship.”

According to ESPN, the 76ers will look at recently fired Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, Sam Cassell, Mike D’Antoni, Nick Nurse, Frank Vogel and just-fired Suns coach Monty Williams as part of their coaching search.

On Sunday, after a Tobias Harris 3-pointer tied the game at 55 apiece 23 seconds into the third quarter, the Celtics went on a 28-3 run to completely blow the game open and put the Sixers in an insurmountable hole.


  Doc Rivers was fired by the 76ers on May 16, 2023. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con Doc Rivers was fired by the 76ers on May 16, 2023. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

After the game, Rivers was asked if he expected to remain the team’s coach next season.

“Yeah, I think I got two years left,” Rivers said Sunday. “No one is safe in our business and I get that.”

James Harden, whose future is up in the air as he holds a $35.6 million player option for next season, gave a tepid response after Sunday’s loss when asked about his relationship with Rivers.


  Doc Rivers during the 76ers’ Game 7 loss to the Celtics. AP Doc Rivers during the 76ers’ Game 7 loss to the Celtics. AP

“Uh, our relationship is OK,” said Harden, who ESPN reports is interested in a potential return to the Rockets.

The third-seeded 76ers, who had the third-best record in the NBA at 54-28 with Joel Embiid winning the MVP award, swept the Nets in the first round and had a 3-2 lead over the Celtics.

But Philadelphia managed just 86 points in a nine-point home loss in Game 6 before the Game 7 blowout.

Rivers, who has a 6-10 record in Game 7s, had a 154-82 regular-season record with the 76ers.

After winning an NBA championship with the Celtics in 2008, Rivers has not gotten past the second round of the playoffs in seven seasons with the Clippers and three with the 76ers.

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