LOS ANGELES – Doc Rivers may no longer be on the sidelines of the Los Clippers, but he still thinks the Western Conference will be decided by his former team and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Philadelphia 76ers coach faced his former team on Saturday since he was released after the Clippers ’3-1 series loss to the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs. And while he says the Clippers don’t run much, that’s different from when he was going to play, Rivers said the Clippers and Lakers are favorites in the West.
“Listen, Utah has been fantastic. … But I think the Clippers and Lakers are still the teams to beat in the West,” Rivers said before facing the Clippers.
Rivers admitted that the observation was made “from afar,” saying he now doesn’t see as many Western Conference games as he does on the east coast. But, he said, “I don’t see anyone better than these two teams.”
On Saturday night, the Utah Jazz (33-11) got 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 their game against the Sixers and the Lakers held on in the fourth quarter despite being without injured LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Rivers said it was the Los Angeles teams. , as it was supposed to be last season when the Lakers and Clippers were considered the big favorites to win it all.
The Denver Nuggets, who were fifth in the West coming in on Saturday night, made a shock in the deadline to get Aaron Gordon of Orlando and JaVale McGee of Cleveland. And Rivers mentioned that Utah returned to Bojan Bogdanovic this season after not having him in the bubble.
“I thought Denver had an excellent deadline for the trade, they made big moves,” Rivers said. “Utah plays amazing basketball, so they’ll be right there. Portland, I thought he also improved his team.
“But I still think it’s the Lakers and the Clippers.”
The Clippers played a video welcoming their former coach, who was in the organization between 2013 and 20-20. Rivers left his mark on the entire franchise, turning what was a laugh into a playoff contender and helping him emerge from the Donald Sterling scandal to his status as a title contender with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Current coach Ty Lue is a Rivers protégé.
“They’re a different team,” Rivers said. “They don’t have a lot of the same guys, [but] they run many of the same things as me. Go through [their plays at] shooting today, I thought sometimes we went through our shooting. But it wouldn’t have changed very offensively either, I mean, they were very good last year. “
Rivers said he didn’t have much time to practice last season due to injuries to Leonard, George and others, and that the pandemic break and bubble disruption then resumed.
Rivers said the Clippers now have more continuity.
“The difference is they’ve had a chance to practice together, you know?” Rivers said. “And you can see that. I think they’ve given the ball more to PG, which I think has helped him. So they’ve made good changes. The biggest change I see is also defensive. I think they’re a better It’s fun, the numbers don’t say exactly, 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 Rajon Rondo, the old Rivers striker, 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, eliminate some of Leonard and George’s game load and provide leadership.
“It was tough at some point last year,” Rivers said of not having any guards like Rondo. “Especially without the training time we didn’t have, to run a play down the stretch where you still didn’t have the ball in the hands of PG or Kawhi. Now you don’t have to. In fact, you can run a set where Rondo can deliver the ball.
“But I think as important as that will be, your 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 make everyone responsible. I think it’s important.”