Former Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers revealed it was ‘challenging’ to coach superstar guard James Harden.
The 76ers enjoyed a solid 2022-23 regular season with Joel Embiid linking with Harden effectively to lead the franchise to a 54-28 record and the third seed in the Eastern Conference. With Harden operating as the primary ball-handler, Embiid went on a tear and claimed his first NBA MVP award.
However, Philadelphia’s season came crashing down in the second round of the playoffs. The 76ers blew a 3-2 series lead to fall to the Boston Celtics as the franchise’s wait for an NBA championship continues.
As the dust settled on their exit, the 76ers decided to fire Rivers and move in another direction with Nick Nurse at the helm. Rivers - the head coach of the 2008 NBA champion Celtics - revealed he wishes he worked with Harden earlier in the former MVP’s career.
“It was challenging,” Rivers told The Bill Simmons Podcast. “More because we were fighting two things, and not like visually fighting. James was so good at playing one way, and the way I believe you have to play to win, in some ways is different because it’s a lot of giving up the ball, moving the ball and coming back to the ball.
“I would’ve loved to have [James] when he was younger, when that was easier for him. Cause giving up the ball and coming back to it is hard, it’s physical and it’s exhausting. It would’ve been interesting if I had him when he was younger [so we could do more of that].”
Rivers’ biggest gripe stemmed from the fact that Harden’s style of play ultimately hinders him in the postseason, which plenty of critics have pointed out throughout his career. The 61-year-old believes Harden’s game is easier to target and gameplan for than someone like Golden State Warriors icon Steph Curry.
Harden averaged 20.3 points, 8.3 assists and 6.2 rebounds in 11 games in the 2023 playoffs. This shows a marginal decline from the regular season, when the 2017 MVP averaged 21 points, 6.1 rebounds and a league-leading 10.7 assists per contest.
“I don’t think anything is missing,” Rivers added. “What makes James great is he’s one of the best individual players to ever play the game; ball-handling, handles the ball, dribbles the ball, attacks. But that also allows you to attack him, you know where he’s at, you know where’s the ball is at.
“In the playoffs, when teams are game planning against you each game — double teaming, taking the ball out of your hand, making it harder — it’s easier to do that to James compared to someone like Steph [Curry].”
Rivers’ suggestion that his coaching style didn’t quite mesh with Harden’s game makes sense given reports that the 76ers wanted to keep the guard, and therefore the situation contributed to the decision to fire their ex-coach. Nurse will now try and turn Harden’s 76ers into a championship outfit while a coach of Rivers’ calibre will find work soon.
