After the team landed all-stars Cavi Leonard and Paul George last summer, the Docc reverse L.A. After the season as head coach of the Clippers, the championship expectations fell short.
“Thank you Clipper Nation for letting me be your coach and for your support in making this a winning franchise,” Rivers said. Said in a statement posted on Twitter on Monday. “When I took this job, my goals were to make this a winning basketball program, a free agent destination, and a championship in this organization.
“While I was able to accomplish most of my goals, I will not be able to see them all. Although it was a disappointing end to our season, you are there and I know this team is able to accomplish with you.
“Thanks to all the players, coaches and staff for helping us get here. Most importantly, thanks to the fans. We went through a lot, and I’m grateful for my time here.”
Against the Denver Nuggets, the Clippers took a 1-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinals and surrendered a double-end lead of 16, 19 and 12 in the last three games of the series as the franchise’s Western Conference Final drought reached 50 years.
Rivers is the only coach in NBA history to have lost a 3-1 lead in three playoff series, with the Clippers at the 2015 West Indies against the Houston Rockets and with the Orlando Magic in the first round against the Detroit Pistons in 2003. .
The team, however, was considered a championship contender from the moment the Clippers signed Leonard in free agency and traded for George.
After the Clippers dropped the Nuggets completely for the third straight game in a 104-89 defeat in Game 7, Rivers said title expectations weren’t too heavy for his team, although the Clippers fell short of what they would think in many seasons. Show off the West Finals show with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“We haven’t met them,” Rivers said of expectations. “That’s the bottom line. I’m the coach, and I can’t take any blame for that. But we didn’t meet our expectations, obviously, because if we have, in my opinion, we’ll still play.”
Rivers took over as Clippers coach in June 2013 and was later promoted to president of basketball operations operations in conjunction with his coaching duties, before assuming the position in August 2017.
In the seven asons at the helm of the rivers, the Clippers went 356-208, winning their regular-season of 63.1% – the fifth-ranked NBA record and the best record by any team without appearing in a conference final.
Rivers went 3-8 in a possible series-cleaning game with the Clippers, equalizing for the worst score by a single coach of a team.
The 3943 wins of his career are the highest by an 11-time head coach.
The report used ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk and ESPN statistics and information.
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