MILWAUKEE — Before taking charge of the Milwaukee Bucks, Doc Rivers was coach of the Philadelphia 76ers for three seasons. He was 154-82, but the Sixers fell in the second round each season and that eliminated him.
One thing Rivers was able to do in Philadelphia was succeed without Joel Embiid. During the 2022-23 season, the Sixers were 11-5 in the 16 games he missed. They were 6-8 in the 2021-22 season without him and 10-11 without him in the 2020-21 season.
After Thursday defeat against the Bucks, the Sixers are 10-22 without Embiid this season. It’s hard to replace a guy who dominates the game in so many areas, but Rivers has found a way over time.
“It’s tough,” Rivers began. “I think we had a pretty good run last year. The last two years, indeed without, but it took time. The guys had to gain confidence playing without him. We played almost a different style…man, you have to play different because you play so different with him.
Rivers compared the Sixers missing Embiid to the Denver Nuggets missing Nikola Jokic. Both players are obviously extremely important to their respective teams and every time they sit out there needs to be a different style of play on the pitch.
“There are very few players – Jokic who, if you replace them or don’t have them, you have to play completely differently,” Rivers added. “If you don’t have Jokic on the court, now you’re going to throw a bunch of elbow actions with DJ (DeAndre Jordan) or whoever they put there, right? And it’s the same without Joel. You just have to play differently. You have to find a way to win matches.
Ultimately, coach Nick Nurse will find the right formula without Embiid. Of course, it doesn’t help that Tyrese Maxey has also missed games. When a team doesn’t have its stars, that’s what happens in this league.
Rivers found success, but it didn’t happen overnight.
“That was our whole thing when I got there,” Rivers finished. “I noticed their record was so bad without Joel and I made sure that as a team we have to win games when Joel isn’t playing. We did it, but it took a minute. It’s hard. It really is.”
