Sixers head coach Doc Rivers reflects on his time in Boston, embraces new role as ‘arch enemy’

Coaching against the Celtics in the postseason for the first time, Rivers expects to receive a cold welcome: "It will be mixed like it always is now."

Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, right, talks with forward Shelden Williams during an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)Read moreAP

by Keith Pompey

Published May 1, 2023, 7:32 p.m. ET

BOSTON — Doc Rivers’ coaching career was made, as they say, in Beantown.

This city is where the 61 year old transformed into one of the NBA’s all-time winningest coaches. It’s where he led the Boston Celtics to their 17th championship. And it’s also a place where he developed lasting relationships.

Still cherished here, the 76ers coach was greeted by fans outside the TD Garden press conference room 90 minutes before facing the Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The fans thanked Rivers for leading Boston to the 2008 NBA championship. Rivers then said hello to several members of the Boston media before his pre-game availability.

And he ended the press conference with a tearful tribute to Heather Walker, the Celtics’ vice president of public relations who died of a rare brain cancer on Wednesday.

“Obviously, Heather Walker meant a lot to me...” Rivers said before failing to hold back tears. “You know 17 years or whatever and leaving two kids and a husband, and it happened so quick.”

Rivers talked about not knowing what to make of Walker when she was hired with the franchise during his nine-year coaching tenure. He said they bumped heads early on, but he eventually realized her new style of public relations was the right way.

“She was just terrific,” he said. “I got a chance to text back and forth with her about three weeks ago. So you know, I try to tell our guys, we live in a real world sometimes. We really do, but you still have to do your jobs, and do things.

“I didn’t mean to get emotional.”

Considering his ties to the organization, it was understandable. But by game time, Rivers was locked in again. He was back in Boston for the first time as opposing an opposing coach in a playoff series. And this had another layer as he was not just any opposing coach... but coach of the hated Sixers.

“I’m the arch enemy as far as my team,” Rivers said. “It’s a weird dynamic, for sure. It’s weird, but that part doesn’t ever go away. It’s just now they want to beat that same guy, which is a little weird.”

Weird but expected.

The Celtics and Sixers are heated Atlantic Division rivals that have had their share of memorable games over the years.

Now on the Sixers’ side of the rivalry, the Celtics stand in the way of Rivers’ quest to lead Philly to its first conference final since 2001. And as the enemy, he knew exactly what type of reception he would receive during Game 1.

Rivers was fully aware that he wouldn’t receive a warm welcome or be thanked for the 2008 title or 2010 Finals appearance. He also knew that they wouldn’t bring up the fact that he’s coached the second-most games (721) in franchise history and produced the third-most wins (416).

“Oh, no. I’m with the Sixers,” Rivers said Saturday of his reception. “I don’t know one way or the other how it will be. It will be mixed like it always is now. There will be fans who appreciate that.

“But what I love about the Boston fans and the Philly fans, I think they will both do it. Wherever you are at, they may give you, ‘Hey we love you, but let’s kick his [expletive].’ That’s cool. That’s the way it is.”

Rivers was hired by the Celtics on April 24, 2004. That came five months after he was fired by the Orlando Magic 11 games into the 2003-04 season. He came to Boston to take over a rebuilding franchise.

The Celtics finished 45-37 during his first season and lost in the first round of the playoffs.

“Then we decided we’re going to take a couple of years and see and rebuild and fix our team,” Rivers said. “And we did that, which was brutal to go through. But we were patient. [Former Boston general manager] Danny Ainge was the star because we were patient. We were getting killed. We were losing games, but once we got it rolling. It was awesome.”

The tanking Celtics finished with 33 and 24 wins, respectively, over the next two seasons. Rivers won his championship the following season after the team acquired Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in the offseason. Rivers’ time there ended when he was in need of a change of scenery and was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers on June 25, 2013.