Jay Wright'ı kaç yanlış yapar?

Doc Rivers sounded more shook than ever on Wednesday defending his history of coaching teams who have flamed out after taking resounding leads in past playoffs series’. His voice typically cracks, but in defending himself from criticism of his numerous shortcomings, he sounded more like a First Take guest debater screeching about “choking” and “clutch genes” than a calm, composed coach up 3-2 over the Toronto Raptors in a first-round series.

While Rivers writhed over painful memories like a boyfriend reminded of all the times he forgot anniversaries, the scornful eyes of 76ers fans should begin wandering. Rivers is a fine coach, the same way Alex Smith was a fine quarterback or Mark Jackson was a fine coach.

After the clock hits postseason time, Doc has been Doctor Death when his teams face adversity. His teams disintegrate. Of the 13 teams who’ve blown 3-1 leads, Rivers has coached three of them. He vociferously defended his 8-seed Orlando Magic losing a 3-1 lead, but his worst self-inflicted wound was Rivers not closing the deal on Tim Duncanby refusing to allow family on the team plane. His 2015 Clippers squad was suplexed by Josh Smith in Game 6, then blown out in Games 5 and 7. The 2020 Clippers seemed disinterested after taking a 3-1 lead over the Denver Nuggets. If his team slips on another banana peel and cracks its skull, Rivers can’t be back on that sideline.

Last week, Jay Wright resigned from Villanova after 21 years at the helm, beckoning a new age for college hoops . The keyword is college hoops. Wright talked about lacking the same fire he once had to lead Villanova at his retirement press conference. Wright, who I presume follows the 76ers, disclosed that he’s keeping his eyes and ears open for any overtures.

During an appearance on ESPN’s Keyshawn, JWill & Max show, Wright admitted that the next level is in his sights. “I’d be lying” if he said he hadn’t thought about coaching in the NBA. “Not right now. That was something I always thought about,” Wright said of his NBA ambitions. “My experience with the Olympics kind of scratched that itch. ... I kind of feel like I did it a little bit. And I loved coaching those guys.”

Jay Wright has been a candidate for every Philadelphia opening since heinterviewed for the job in 2009. Jay Wright is the 76ers sneaky link. He’s always lingering in the background. Not in a creepy manner, but it’s a small world and they keep bumping into each other. The 76ers have been in the gym, got their teeth fixed and spent a decade building their brand. Wright would be crazy not to give them another look or at least send a smoke signal to the current 76ers ownership.

From the sound of it, he still has hoops in his bone marrow. Obviously taking a chance on a college coach is a risk. Aside from their shared love for pinstriped suits, Wright isn’t a John Calipari archetype who relies on rah-rah college enthusiasm and recruiting to excel. He’s got twice as many national championships as Calipari while developing a slew of fringe draft prospects and the occasional mid-first rounder.

2014 yılında, Billy Donovan Florida'dan Oklahoma City'ye sıçradı ve şimdi vagonu Chicago Bulls'a bağlandı. Wright zaten sokağın aşağısında. Villanova, Wells Fargo Center'a sadece 28 dakika uzaklıktadır. Wright Pennsylvania'lı, Bucknell'de oynadı, ünlü şampiyonluklarından iki yıl sonra Villanova'ya asistan olarak katıldı, ardından Rollie Massimino'yu UNLV'ye kadar takip etti ve Nova'ya dönmeden önce Hofstra'nın programını yürüterek yedi yıl geçirdi.

En önemlisi, 76ers'ın gelip 76ers'a şu anda eksik olan gücü vermesine ihtiyacı olabilir. Psikolojik olarak, sahada eğlenmek yerine her zaman kenarda görünen ve beklentilerin altında ezilen bir takım için bir Zen ustası. Hücumda, Wright bozuk rotasyonları düzeltebilir ve Doc Rivers'ın Embiid ve Harden için koştuğu vanilya setlerinden daha taze kırışıklıklar getirebilir. Wright'ın Nova takımları, Kerr dönemi Warriors takımlarının üniversitedeki kopyasıyken, Rivers hala bin yıl öncesinin hissettirdiği bir dönemin başarısının paltosunu sürüyor.

After all those raised expectations the Harden trade brought to Philly’s season, a first or second-round loss nearly a decade into The Process wouldn’t suffice. That would be akin to Rivers serving a dead roach to the health inspector thus far. The whole operation would be shut down, and that reality’s pressure is obviously affecting Rivers.

Tabii ki, bunların çoğu, bir levha üzerinde uyuyakalmış bir sarhoşun otopsisini başlatmaya benziyor. Belki Doc ekibinin nabzını bulur. Uzun Süreç destanında, belki de bu, Philadelphia 76ers'ın bir kara komedi olarak yolundan saptığı ve muzaffer bir şekilde kaçtığı noktadır. Ancak, bu tür bir pozitif kör inanç, Philadelphia'nın bildiği şey değildir. Wright, en çok kazanan koçlardan biri olmasının yanı sıra, basketbolun duygusal olarak en zeki koçudur. Sixers ve hayran kitlesi bu tür bir duygusal yükselişi kullanabilir. O zamana kadar, acı verici bir sezon sonrası daha ezmek zorunda kalacaklar.