Doc Rivers is one of the most respected coaches in the NBA today. It’s no coincidence that he also happens to be one of the most successful shot-callers in the entire league.
Much like the rest of the NBA, the Philadelphia 76ers also started training camp this week. A mic’d up Doc Rivers recently provided a brief preview of his coaching prowess as he had a one-on-one discussion with Sixers superstar James Harden during practice. This is pretty much what coaching is all about.
Rivers was challenging Harden to be the “aggressive James” the Sixers need him to be. The tenured shot-caller explained why the team will need Harden to be both a facilitator and a scorer as the Sixers look to the former league MVP to be more impactful on the offensive end this coming season. According to Rivers, Philly is going to be an unstoppable force once Harden finds his niche (NBA on Twitter):
“When it clicks James we’re going to be unbeatable,” Rivers told Harden.
Harden was on the receiving end of some criticism last season for being too passive on offense, particularly with regard to his lack of aggression in looking for his shot. Rivers is well aware of this issue, and he has posed a major challenge for Harden here. I’m pretty sure that Doc is going to be banging on this same drum all season long.
You have to note that this is James Harden we’re talking about here. His basketball resume is as stellar as any superstar out there, and you can clearly see how intently he’s listening to Rivers’ coaching here. This just speaks volumes of how much respect James Harden has for his coach. Hopefully, all this translates to more wins for the Sixers this season.
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