Josh Smith, who once played for Doc Rivers in the NBA, just slammed the Los Angeles Clippers head coach on Instagram.
Hours after LA blew a 3-1 lead against the Denver Nuggets, Smith criticized Rivers and called him a bum. The post featured Smith in a Houston Rockets jersey.
To recall, Smith was a member of the Rockets squad that came back from a 3-1 deficit in the 2015 Western Semis against a Rivers-coached Clippers team.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CFMnLscDnu7/?utm_source=ig_embed
It's interesting to point out that Smith signed with the Clippers the following NBA season. However, come January 2016, he was traded back to the Rockets. Perhaps Smith has been harboring some bitter feelings towards LA and Rivers?
Be as it may, Doc Rivers and Co. will likely be the laughing stock of NBA diehards in the months to come. After all, many expected them to at least represent the West in the Finals. But lo and behold, they were booted out by the Nuggets despite having a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Several NBA fans and analysts have actually echoed Smith's thoughts. Rivers has been the Clippers' head coach since 2013. Although they have only failed to qualify to the playoffs just once, the organization has never made it past the second round under his tutelage.
As such, critics are entertaining the thought that the reason behind the Clippers' woes lies in the coaching. The players themselves are also to blame, but given Rivers' history of choking in the postseason, he may be the root of the problem.
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