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Saturday 3 OctOber 2020
Doc is in: 76ers expect Rivers to lead them to NBA title

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Doc $33.5 million to Tobias Harris
Rivers takes over a team and $27.5 million for Al Hor-
tasked not with leading ford -- who both shined in
a Process-type rebuild or previous stints under Rivers
massaging the egos of two -- were expensive mistakes
talented — yet frustrating by Brand for two players
— All-Stars. who failed to produce any-
He's in Philadelphia to bring thing close to worthy of
accountability to an oft- their salaries. The 34-year-
apathetic roster — and win old Horford, signed away
big. from the Celtics last offsea-
Rivers brings his NBA cham- son, lost his starting job and
pionship credibility to the his 11.9 points were his few-
76ers to resuscitate a fran- est since his second year in
chise that entered this sea- the league. Brand will have
son with title expectations to get creative and hope
and ended it with grim he can dump salary in a
concerns over its bloated trade to make any signifi-
payroll, incompatible mix cant roster upgrades. Harris
of talent, and doubts that averaged 20.9 points and
Joel Embiid and Ben Sim- shot a career-high 43% on
mons can truly co-exist and 3s in 55 games with Rivers
lead the Sixers to their first Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers yells during the first half of an NBA conference semi- and the Clippers before he
title since 1983. final playoff basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena was traded to the 76ers.
Enter Rivers, the 58-year- Vista, Fla. LOSING LEADS
old former NBA guard who Associated Press Rivers has two Finals ap-
coached the Boston Celt- pearances on his resume
ics to the championship in looking good on video clips ways. Magic had the ball getting swept by the Celt- and that's enough to earn
2008 and another NBA Fi- only to want so much more and he was creating, get- ics in the playoffs. instant respect in Philly. But
nals appearance in 2010. out of him when the games ting everybody involved. Simmons' key weakness is it is troubling that of the 13
Just two days after he split matter most. Then you give the ball to his outside game and re- times in NBA history a team
with the Los Angeles Clip- Rivers was last in Philadel- Kareem and he scored. fusal to shoot 3-pointers. He has lost a playoff series with
pers, Rivers was in Philadel- phia in February when Em- Embiid is tough because he entered the season 0 for 17 a 3-1 lead, Rivers coached
phia with ownership and biid had 26 points and nine can do both." in his career and made just three of them: He couldn't
general manager Elton rebounds and Simmons High praise, indeed. War- two this season on 17 at- seal the deal with the
Brand, and on Thursday he had a triple-double (26 ranted? Not yet, but as tempts. After Simmons hit 2003 Orlando Magic, the
accepted the job to suc- points, 12 rebounds, 10 as- Show-Me-Time nears in his second career 3 in early 2015 Clippers and this sea-
ceed Brett Brown. sists) in a win over the Clip- Philly, Rivers — signed to a December, Brown made son's Clippers, which likely
"Welcome to the city of pers. Those kinds of perfor- reported five-year contract a rare public plea for the played a role in Rivers not
Brotherly Love Coach @ mances against a Clippers — has work ahead to figure guard to attempt at least remaining as coach.
DocRivers !!!! Excited for team that advanced to the out how to make the mag- one in every game for the Rivers is 943-681 in near-
the future and what we're West semis were a show- ic happen. remainder of the season. ly 21 seasons as an NBA
building here #PhillyForev- case of how the duo could _____ The 2018 Rookie of the Year coach. He was the 1999-
er," Embiid tweeted. dominate when healthy HOW TO HANDLE SIMMONS refused -- will Rivers have 00 NBA Coach of the Year
If good things are going to and motivated against a Simmons is a consistent tri- better luck? -- and the of- and needs two more wins
happen in Philadelphia, Riv- top team. ple-double threat but Riv- fense stalled. to move into 10th on the
ers needs more than social "Embiid is a better scorer, ers needs to find the best PAY DAY NBA's career wins list.
media support out of the obviously, and does things, way to max his talent. Sim- The Sixers hit the bottom of The East should be deep
talented 7-footer who has and size, you can't plan mons played primarily at the league-salary threshold next season, with Milwau-
battled injuries and strug- for that," Rivers said at the point guard throughout his early in the Process and now kee, Boston and Miami
gled with conditioning. The time. "When Simmons has career but Brown used him have perhaps the heftiest among the favorites, and
Sixers have been down the the ball, he's more like at small forward after the payroll ($147 million) in the Brooklyn expected to
social media road before Magic (Johnson), I guess. NBA restart. He needed league. Simmons and Em- emerge as a contender
of Simmons posting pho- Magic and Kareem (Abdul- surgery in August on his left biid are on max contracts, with a new coach and a
tos of him working out and Jabbar), I guess, in some knee and missed the Sixers as should be expected. But healthy core.q

Saints rule out WR Thomas, 5 other starters vs. Lions

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The New Or- timately decided Friday that he both absent Friday. Saints coach first three weeks, opposing offens-
leans Saints ruled out top receiver would not be ready to return this Sean Payton had expressed opti- es have been blocking top Saints
Michael Thomas and five other weekend. Also out for Sunday are: mism that Davenport, who has yet defensive end Cameron Jordan
starters for Sunday's game against starting cornerbacks Marshon Lat- to play this season because of an with double-teams and he has yet
the Lions in Detroit. Thomas, a two- timore (hamstring) and Janoris elbow injury, would return Sunday. to have a sack after having 15 1/2
time All-Pro who last season set an Jenkins (shoulder); tight end Jared But after practicing Wednesday, last season.Peat has not practiced
NFL single-season record with 149 Cook (groin); left guard Andrus Davenport did not practice the since his injury during last Sunday
catches, practiced throughout Peat (ankle); and defensive end rest of the week and the club's of- night's loss to the Green Bay Pack-
this week as he tries to come back Marcus Davenport (elbow, toe). ficial injury report reflected a new ers. Cook also had not practiced
from a sprained ankle suffered in Lattimore practiced Wednesday toe injury. since apparently pulling his groin
Week 1. However, the Saints ul- and Jenkins on Thursday, but were With Davenport not playing in the against Green Bay.q