76ers coach fires up over Simmons question

3 years ago 283

Philadelphia 76ers manager Doc Rivers was progressive successful a testy speech with a newsman arsenic the squad turned up for its yearly media time with Ben Simmons missing.

In the latest occurrence of a drawn retired saga that shows nary signs of coming to a close, Rivers was flanked by Sixers enforcement Daryl Morey arsenic the brace fielded questions from section reporters regarding Simmons' absence.

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One specified question was based astir Rivers' now-infamous punctuation instantly aft the Sixers' Game 7 nonaccomplishment to Atlanta successful the Eastern Conference semi-finals past season.

Rivers was erstwhile again probed astir his answer, wherever helium responded with "I don't know" erstwhile asked if a squad could triumph a rubric with Simmons arsenic its constituent guard.

The 59-year-old denied that his answer, which went viral instantly aft his property conference, was the crushed that Simmons had refused to crook up to grooming camp.

Sixers manager Doc Rivers says helium 'thinks the world' of Ben Simmons contempt his playoff flameout past play (Getty)

"It was due to the fact that I wasn't answering the question," helium said.

"Listen, we tin spell backmost and distant each you privation oregon each anybody other wants connected intent, but I've ne'er had a occupation owning what I said.

"No, I'm going to finish. I'm successful complaint here, I'm going to decorativeness each right?".

He continued.

"What I said, and I'll accidental it implicit and implicit again, erstwhile you ticker it there's sometimes called intent erstwhile you talk. And clearly, intelligibly what I said was, 'guys, I'm not answering that, I don't cognize close now'.

"I wasn't answering immoderate question. I was talking astir [the information that] we conscionable finished a Game 7 and that question was asked. I conscionable wasn't talking astir it, I wasn't answering that.

"All year, who bash you deliberation defended Ben more? I inactive deliberation the satellite of him arsenic a player.

Ben Simmons struggled during Philadelphia's East Semis nonaccomplishment against the Atlanta Hawks past play (Getty)

"Just due to the fact that helium doesn't bash definite things [reporters] privation him to do, it doesn't mean he's a atrocious player. He made the All-Star squad and helium astir won the Defensive Player of the Year award.

"So, to me, sometimes I privation alternatively of conscionable going with what you want, perceive to my intent, that's each I'm saying."

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The seasoned manager besides clarified that helium had discussed the property league with Simmons the adjacent time erstwhile helium realised his comments had been taken the incorrect way.

Morey confirmed Simmons' representatives asked Philadelphia for a commercialized soon aft the extremity of the play during the NBA Draft Combine successful Chicago, but said "there's a batch of hope" the franchise tin mend fences with the disgruntled Aussie.

"Every squad goes done its ain journey," helium said.

Ben Simmons (right) has been a polarising fig astatine the Philadelphia 76ers. (Getty)

"Ben is simply a precise bully player, a large portion of this team, we're disappointed he's not here.

"We're making our choices, but we're excited astir the players that are present and we're going to absorption connected them. In presumption of trades oregon non-trades, I lone person 1 focus: to bash what gives america the champion accidental to triumph a championship."

When questioned astir whether helium knew precisely wherefore Simmons had asked retired of Philadelphia, Rivers admitted helium didn't person the answers.

"That's a bully question and it's a pugnacious reply due to the fact that it wasn't wide arsenic we astir apt would've wanted," helium said.

"Wanting to alteration places for immoderate reason. It's pugnacious to play here. Ben didn't accidental that, but you've got to presume that it's astir apt a portion of it.

"I've been successful a batch of losing rooms and I've been successful immoderate winning rooms, and it's astonishing the interaction [a loss] has.

"This has happened much than you know, it conscionable hasn't happened to this extent, particularly the time aft a nonaccomplishment oregon a week aft a loss. Unfortunately, this has not changed truthful far."

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