LOS ANGELES – Doc Rivers may no longer be on the LA Clippers’ line of play, but he believes the Western Conference will be decided by his old team and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Philadelphia 76ers coach faced his first team on Saturday for the first time since he was released after the Clippers’ 3-1 loss to the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs. And while he says the Clippers don’t run too much, it’s different from when he called the games, Rivers said the Clippers and Lakers are Western favorites.
“Listen, Utah was great. But I still think the Clippers and Lakers are still the teams they have to beat in the West,” Rivers said before facing the Clippers.
Rivers acknowledged that the observation was made “from afar,” saying he did not watch as many Western Conference games now that he was on the East Coast. But, he said, “I don’t see anyone better than those two teams.”
Entering Saturday night, the Utah Jazz (33-11) had the best record in the NBA. Rivers’ Sixers had the second best record in the league. While the Clippers were third in the West before the game and the Lakers held on to fourth place, despite not injuring LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Rivers said it was about teams in Los Angeles, such as it had to be last season when they were considered heavy favorites to win everything.
The Nuggets, who placed fifth in the west on Saturday night, hit the trading deadline to take on Aaron Gordon of Orlando and JaVale McGee of Cleveland. Rivers also mentioned that Utah has Bojan Bogdanovic back this season, after not having him in the ball.
“We thought Denver had an excellent deadline for trading – they made great moves,” Rivers said. “Utah plays incredible basketball, so they’ll be right there. Portland, I thought they improved their team.
“But I still think it’s the Lakers and the Clippers.”
The Clippers played a welcome video to their former coach, who was in the organization from 2013 to 2020. Rivers left his mark everywhere in the franchise, turning what was once a laugh into a competitor in the playoffs and helping him get out of the Donald Scandal sterling to his title contender status alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Current coach Ty Lue is protected by Rivers.
“I’m a different team,” Rivers said. “They don’t have many of the same boys, [but] I drive a lot of the same things I run. To go through [their plays at] shootaround today, we thought we would go through our shootaround sometimes. But I wouldn’t have changed much offensively either. I mean, they were pretty cute last year. “
Rivers said he did not have much time to train last season due to injuries, and then the pandemic break and the interruption of the bubble restart.
He said the Clippers now have more continuity.
“The difference is they had a chance to practice together, you know?” Rivers said. “And you can see that. I think they gave PG the ball more, which I think helped him. So they made some good changes. The biggest change I see is also defensive. I think they’re better. It’s funny, the numbers don’t say exactly that, but when I look at them, I think they’ll be a better defensive team, one of the best defensive teams when the playoffs start. “
The Clippers added former Rivers goalie Rajon Rondo in a deal with Atlanta for Lou Williams. Rivers won a championship with Rondo in Boston and said his former defender will help orchestrate the offense, take some of the game off Leonard and George, and provide leadership.
“It was difficult sometimes last year,” Rivers said of not having a guard like Rondo. “Especially without the training time I didn’t have, to run a stretch game where you didn’t already have the ball in the hands of PG or Kawhi. Now you don’t have to do that. Set where Rondo can deliver the ball.
“But I think no matter how important it is, his voice will be even more important,” Rivers said. “I think he’s one of those guys who will talk, tell the truth and tell everyone and answer everyone. I think it’s important.”