LOS ANGELES – Doc Rivers may no longer be on the side of LA Clippers, but he still thinks the Western Conference will be decided by his old team and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ coach faced his former team for the first time on Saturday since he was released after the Clippers collapsed against the Denver Nuggets in the 3-1 series in the second round of the playoffs. And while he says the Clippers don’t run much, that’s unlike when he mentioned the plays, Rivers said the Clippers and Lakers are the favorites in the West.
“Listen, Utah is great. But I still think the Clippers and Lakers are still the teams to beat in the West,” Rivers said before facing the Clippers.
Rivers admitted the observation was done “from afar” and said he doesn’t watch that many Western Conference games now that he’s on the East Coast. But, he said, “I don’t see anyone better than those two teams.”
On 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 for their game and the Lakers remained fourth despite being without the injured LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Rivers said it’s all about the Los Angeles teams, as it should have been last season. when they were considered tough favorites to win everything.
The Nuggets, who were fifth in the West on Saturday-evening, caused a stir during the transaction deadline to bring Aaron Gordon from Orlando and JaVale McGee from Cleveland. And Rivers said Utah has Bojan Bogdanovic back this season after not having him in the bubble.
“I thought Denver had a great trade deadline – they were doing great moves,” Rivers said. “Utah plays incredible basketball, so they will be there. Portland, I thought their team had improved too.
“But I still think it’s the Lakers and the Clippers.”
The Clippers played a welcome video for their former coach, who was with the organization from 2013 to 2020. Rivers has left his mark on the entire franchise, turning what was once a pushover into a playoff contender and helping out the Donald Sterling scandal to his title contender status with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Current coach Ty Lue is a protégé of Rivers.
“They’re a different team,” Rivers said. “They don’t have many of the same guys, [but] they run many of the same things that I run. Get on [their plays at] shootaround today, thought we were going through our shootaround every now and then. But I wouldn’t have changed much offensively either. I mean they were pretty good last year. “
Rivers said he didn’t get much time to practice last season due to injuries, and then the pandemic break and bubble disruption restarted.
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 the ball more to PG, which I think helped him. So they made some good changes. The biggest change I see is also defensive. I think they did. “Defensive team. It’s funny, the numbers don’t exactly say that, but when I look at them I think they will be a better defensive team, one of the better defensive teams when the playoffs start.”
The Clippers added Rivers’s former point guard Rajon Rondo in a trade with Atlanta for Lou Williams. Rivers won a championship with Rondo in Boston and said his old quarterback will help orchestrate the offense, which will take game loads off Leonard and George and provide leadership.
“It was difficult at times last year,” Rivers said he didn’t have a point guard like Rondo. “Especially without the practice time that we didn’t have, to play a piece over the piece where you didn’t already have the ball in the hands of PG or Kawhi. Now you don’t have to. Set where Rondo can deliver the ball. .
“But I think as important as that will be, his voice will become even more important,” Rivers said. “I think he is one of those guys who will speak, speak the truth and tell everyone and hold everyone accountable. I think that’s important.”