Steve Nash firing speeds up timeline for Doc Rivers

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Sixers doc river
Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers watches from the bench in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)

Could Steve Nash parting ways with the Brooklyn Nets speed up the timeline given to Doc Rivers to right the ship for the Philadelphia 76ers?

Steve Nash has officially been fired as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets after he and the team mutually agreed to part ways. Nash started off the season 2-5, a disappointing start when considering the offseason work the team did in adding to their bench in order to support their start talent.

The Brooklyn Nets are expected to hire former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka to replace Nash as their next head coach. Udoka was suspended after violating the Celtics’ workplace conduct policy but is allowed to take other work should it become available to him.

Now the clock is short for Doc Rivers to really turn things around. Daryl Morey is currently watching his in-division coaching opponents — first Ime Udoka, then Steve Nash — fall apart by the second, eliminating excuses for Rivers and speeding up his timeline for success.

The Sixers are currently on a three-game win streak, but if Rivers can’t keep it above .500 by Christmas, his exit could be as swift as Nash’s. Even a positive outlook on that possibility operates under the assumption that the Celtics don’t keep up their positive play and that the Nets don’t eventually figure it out under Udoka.

Steve Nash, importantly, got fired despite quality play from Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. With Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris playing at their current level and Embiid expected to be back at some point this week, Rivers’ losses in the next couple of months will carry a lot of weight when making the decision.