Magic fire coach Doc Rivers By Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer Posted November 18, 2003 SALT LAKE CITY -- Doc Rivers was fired as coach of the Orlando Magic and replaced on an interim basis by assistant coach Johnny Davis, the Orlando Sentinel learned early Tuesday. Rivers was told of the change after the Magic lost to the Utah Jazz 90-88 Monday night. It was their 10th consecutive loss of the season. "It's happened, and I'm helping Johnny get ready to take over,'' Rivers said about three hours after the game. Magic Chief Operating Officer John Weisbrod was unavailable for comment. Speculation that Rivers was in trouble grew after the Magic lost their first five games at home to fall to 1-6. It heightened after the club lost its first two games on their current West Coast road trip against the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Clippers. The Magic's 1-10 record is the worst in the NBA. As the subject of his job security became a hot topic, Rivers said "Somebody has to be blamed," because that's the way of pro sports. But he called the speculation that he had to beat the Jazz on Monday night to keep his job "unfair" and criticized Magic management for the first time for its handling of his situation. "If we're going to get into this, 'If you win, you stay; if you lose, you go,' then they can do what they want," Rivers told The Sentinel before Monday night's game at the Delta Center. "That's the worst way to treat a coach who's been extremely loyal to this team. I don't know if that's going on or not but that's what you hear." If that was the case, Rivers said, then "the people making the decisions don't know what they're doing." Weisbrod, who had made the trip to observe Rivers and the players, sympathized with Rivers. Asked if his job should have been on the line on a game-to-game basis, Weisbrod said, "He's probably right." Weisbrod refused any other comment. Rivers was named coach of the Magic in 1999, succeeding veteran Chuck Daly. He compiled a 171-168 record and guided Orlando to three consecutive playoff appearances. The Magic, however, were knocked out of the postseason in the first round each time. But it was the last playoff series in which the heat was turned up on Rivers and General Manager John Gabriel. The eighth-seeded Magic won three of the first four games against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons and looked on the verge of advancing to the second round for the first time in seven years. But the Magic collapsed, losing the last three games against the Pistons to lose the best-of-seven series. The off-season brought dramatic changes to the roster. Eight new players were signed, including four rookies and veteran power forward Juwan Howard, a former all-star. The players were slow to mesh, and the Magic posted a 1-7 record in the preseason. The Magic won their season-opener in New York, beating the Knicks in a sloppy, but thrilling overtime game Oct. 29. But they have yet to win since then, dropping all six of their home games and four on the road. Sources close to the team said that Davis -- who has previous head coaching experience -- will be on the Magic's bench Thursday night in Phoenix. The Magic face the Suns on Thursday and then play the Sacramento Kings on Friday to conclude a five-game, eight-day West Coast trip. Davis was head coach for the Philadelphia 76ers during the 1996-97 season.
Doc's a Chicago boy too - may be a longshot, but if the Bulls keep on losing too... Scott Layden loves Doc as well.
Bad Luck, this should be on the Magic board. Who's gonna be the replacement? I think it will probably be Johnny Davis.
I feel bad for Doc..but It was time for him to go. Johnny Davis will take over as the Magic's new coach http://www.nba.com/magic/news/Magic_Dismis...v-90605-66.html Personally Mike Fratello would been the best option.
No one will hire isiah?? Are u kidding me.. he had a great winning% He'll be a coach soon.. It sucks that doc got fired.. Hill and Garrity havent played at all and gordons been out!!! Too bad tmac was garbage the first 6 or so games this year
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They likely will lose 2 more games in a row. At Phoenix and at Sacramento, but hopefully they will start to win home games.
The coach aint the only problem in Orlando they need lineup changes big time The Gooden Howard experiment didnt work they need to fix it ASAP
The last 2 games, Howard has been coming off the bench with Bogans starting. He's avg about 20 ppg off the bench, so we're trying to change it up a little.
I'm not sure if it was this board where people were saying that the Magic would win the east. I kept my mouth shut then, but now I think their record speaks for itself.
I know I was expecting home court advantage as was other Magic fans, but I don't think any of us thought that we could win the East.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting sportsrock37:</div><div class="quote_post">I know I was expecting home court advantage as was other Magic fans, but I don't think any of us thought that we could win the East.</div> You did predict 51 wins T-mac as MVP Gooden to average 17 and 10 To make it to the 2nd round I think also Doc Rivers as coach of the year contender But I do remember you saying in the off-season you would might get the 1st seed...I think the reason was "Now T-mac has some help in Howard,Lue e.t.c) but hey who's counting? :mrgreen:
lol. I said as a possible candidate for coach of the year. I never said that I thought he would definetely win it or anything. I did predict 50+ wins, tmac, gooden. I never said #1 seed though. I'm positive on that. We still have a chance with the playoffs though, since we have 71 more games.
True the season is not over yet...But they need some results fast...As even though there are plenty of games left It is real hard trying to chase wins at the end of the season to get in.Magic will need to pull quite alot of 5 game winning streaks togeather to have a good shot to make it..
You never know in the East, where every team seems to only have 1 star. If the teams's star gets injured that will give the Magic some help to get in.
