Doc Rivers has to do something unusual before his team is down 3-0 to try something different. Because the current settings haven’t worked, the criticism may need to move from the players to the coach. If Philadelphia continues to play the same manner and expects different outcomes.
In the second round of the Playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers haven’t had a good time. The 76ers cannot compete against the Miami Heat without star big man Joel Embiid, who is on the sidelines with an injury. Despite James Harden’s presence on the court. His influence has been modest, as the 76ers have suffered successive double-digit blowout defeats.
Bam Adebayo has been Miami’s best player in this series, exposing the 76ers’ vulnerability in the paint without Joel Embiid. DeAndre Jordan and Paul Reed have been ineffective in slowing down Bam, and their offensive contributions have been modest.
Doc Rivers hasn’t shifted his focus away from those guys in the lineup, and he’s taking it as a roster challenges. He has no intention of benching the duo because he feels they are ‘trying their hardest.’
While it’s commendable that Doc Rivers is noting his backup big men’s efforts in the absence of Embiid. There’s no way to explain the same by claiming that they are at least trying. Doc Rivers’ job as a coach is to make modifications to play the Heat in a different approach and have some success. On the other hand, Doc Rivers is sticking to his guns and hoping for the best.
Even with Embiid, Miami will be too difficult a hurdle for this squad to overcome with just three months of stability. James Harden’s difficulties haven’t made things any easier for anybody involved except for Miami.
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