Do We Trust the New Process?

The Sixers are finally looking in another direction after being swept in four games to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. On Friday afternoon the Sixers started the new process and announced that they have agreed to terms with former Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers on a 5-year contract.

A lot of people may not realize this, but it took the Sixers 17 years until they finally found their first true NBA head coach since Larry Brown. The organization went through a Carousel of Coaches on the way, and yours truly was only 9 Years old when Brown left. I’m 25 now and honestly, I like the move! Could this be the only coach who could get into Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons’s head right now? He’s got a ring and what it takes to succeed. Just like the other two coaches in Philadelphia with the Flyers & Phillies Rivers has the right pedigree. Rivers, Girardi, and Vigneault all have pedigrees and know what it takes to WIN in their respective leagues.

Doc can tell Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons what’s needed. Rivers will not take any crap from either one of them. It’s “either you do what I say or you aren’t going to be here”. He won’t put up with any issues from either player.

Let’s start with Joel Embiid. Embiid for the last 7 Years has been inconsistent on and off the court and was never fully in tip-top shape. He could be trying to be better as a player and probably be the best in the game. The thing that has been one of his flaws is staying healthy to be on the basketball court. Joel hasn’t been as nearly impressive as he should be. That is unacceptable for the seven-year professional basketball player. Instead of trying to stay healthy, and eating the right things, he has been eating Chick-fil-A and struggling to stay healthy for a full season. Hopefully, Rivers right away will see that and will do whatever he can to get Joel Embiid into shape. Embiid has the potential to be one of the best in the game.

Now let’s talk about another player that Coach Rivers has to be on every single day from day one of practice. That is Ben Simmons. Simmons, like Embiid, has been inconsistent. Unlike Embiid he is in shape but the one thing that has been a problem for the five-year veteran going into his sixth year has been the lack of shooting a basketball from midrange. Not only doesn’t he want to shoot while under pressure, but it also seems he never EVER wants to shoot PERIOD. Doc will be the one guy on his tail every single day from day one.

As a former point guard, Doc will definitely take the court at practice to tell and coach him to shoot, not telling him once or twice, no! He will tell him again and again until he’s tired of hearing it. Don’t get me wrong, Ben is a great player on defense but the one flaw in his game is that he has to be better in his shooting, especially the mid-range jumper. And Doc is the right guy for that! It’s going to be either he starts shooting or he’s going to be sitting on the sidelines. Doc will control Ben’s minutes.

Here is to the new process starting NOW!

James Scorza

James Scorza is a Co-Host of the Pattison Ave Phanatics on Edge of Philly Sports. James attended the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. He loves Sports and Music and has an encyclopedic knowledge of all things Philadelphia Sports. He may be young but is knowledgeable beyond his years.