How Many Doc Rivers Choke Jobs Were Really His Fault?

After being fired for blowing yet another series lead against the Celtics in the 2023 playoffs, I take a look at all of the series in which a Doc Rivers-led team blew either a 3-1 or 3-2 lead and decide whether or not the blame can be reasonably put on him.

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[Professional_Dirtbag_Hippie]

Doc can’t make a good team great, but Doc can absolutely make a mediocre team good

[andrdmosley]

Definitely should have had 2021 on there... They were the #1 seed and loss to the #5 Hawks... That's probably the biggest choke of his career... Because unlike the other ones he didn't lose to some great team...

[KobeLoverTatum]

Something that’s not covered in this video is the changes Doc is *not* making in any of these series compared to other coaches - and when there is a rare change to his game plan you can bet it will be followed to a tee for the *rest of the game* regardless of how poorly it’s working out.

Injuries happen every year to year team, Doc does not have that much bad luck, and if he actually coached like a top 15 coach of all time then at least some of these losses would’ve been victories.

[edclee]

If the choke jobs occurred early in his coaching career, you can call it inexperience. But these glaring mistakes happen after more than 10 years of coaching. That tells me either the man has never been a good coach or he has regressed. The first scenario is far more likely.

[FilthyCasual]

The second blown series in the video, the one against the Celtics, was MOST DEFINITELY Doc's fault because he had the greatest player of all time, Brian Scalabrine, out there playing meaningful minutes in the last 2 games, as he should have for the first 5, and STILL managed to coach the Celtics to a choke job!

[MrNrj]

However disappointing the Celtics’ playoff run ended up being, it brings me so much joy to know we still beat Doc and the Sixers

[notsocooldude]

7:58 you can say that harden and Embiid fell apart in game 7, but you have to ask the question of *why* they fell apart. The lack of adjustment in offensive schemes to make the most of 2 of the best offensive players in the modern NBA is astounding. You can’t just expect them to figure everything out on the fly. That might work in the regular season but it doesn’t work in the playoffs against a good team

[conyeezy]

As a celtics fan his running his starters into the ground and absolutely refusing to use his bench was awful for us big part of why we didnt get banner 18 with him.

[themfdoomguy]

love the last call instrumental in the background

[sowuteva]

3:32 49 - 36 lead with 8 min left in the 3rd, ye that’s some 2000’s shit

[furkankocaman]

As a Philly fan. Yes. He should’ve been arrested for that AWFUL performance in g6. Almost like he jus bets against his own team and throws the game at this point

[PieDisliker]

The 2015 collapse will forever remain the worst choke job in my eyes. That lob city team was at its best ever and got smacked around by Cory Brewer and Josh Smith. 2020 was bad but the team was newly together and I can see why they struggled with no crowd.

[AllHorizons]

The 76ers one is tough. Ultimately, it probably was on him. But I do think Harden and Embiid share some of the blame. Harden underperformed and Embiid was always looking for someone to blame. First Embiid complains about not touching the ball in the last four minutes. Then, he gets the ball a ton at the end of the next game and complains that it’s all on him.

[adriandurlej]

Great Video! I appreciate you gave Doc his flowers at the end and showed a key strength that does make Doc a great coach. What seems consistent in all of Doc's collapses is the lack of killer instinct. The 2008 Celtics had that, but clearly it wasn't doc who brought it to that team, and he hasn't since.

[adidasfan]

Love that last call song in the background 🔥🔥🔥

[Dkirk]

Docs Beginning Legacy up until like 2010- Good Coach

2010-2023 - Good season coach in the regular season and choke every playoffs blows 3-1 leads like it’s nothing and a Kawhi rolling bounce shot that made Embiid cry

[nifynitm]

“how many doc rivers choke jobs were really his fault?”

“yes.”

[horky]

Having the last call beat as the background music for this video is amazing

[davidtran]

Short answer for chokejobs on 3-1 leads only - all of them except the one with the Magic. The other ones he's blown most especially in the 2010s onward are basically with his teams having the main advantage the whole series, hell at one point leading in the clinching game BUT somehow, someway, the game goes awry. That's all coaching.

[Phonsuk]

The teams down 3-1 made adjustments to get back in the series....Doc never makes adjustments.