Doc Rivers

Rivers says he would have called a timeout before Wembanyama's turnover only because the Spurs are so young.

“The only reason I would have called it, and I said it right away, is because they're so young”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 Finals Lessons, Giannis’s Next Stop, Brunson’s Apex, and Mike Brown’s Magic Touch With Doc Rivers (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 1:49:12

Rivers says the Knicks' edge in close games came from a veteran team knowing its late-game identity and having a closer.

“the Knicks know exactly who they are the last five minutes of a game. They know exactly what they're running”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 Finals Lessons, Giannis’s Next Stop, Brunson’s Apex, and Mike Brown’s Magic Touch With Doc Rivers (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 7:15

Rivers contends that Castle's foul trouble in Game 4 was overlooked and allowed Brunson's big comeback stretch.

“So Brunson, that whole 29-point stretch... did it without having to deal with Castle. Yeah. And I thought that was huge for the Knicks and for Brunson”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 Finals Lessons, Giannis’s Next Stop, Brunson’s Apex, and Mike Brown’s Magic Touch With Doc Rivers (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 3:13

Rivers argues the Finals turned after Game 3 when Mike Brown complained about fouls, after which officiating favored Brunson.

“But I thought where the game and the series changed was after game three”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 Finals Lessons, Giannis’s Next Stop, Brunson’s Apex, and Mike Brown’s Magic Touch With Doc Rivers (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 4:19

Rivers said he could not pick a series winner, calling the Finals too close to call.

“I bet I was asked it 50 times, Bill, and my same answer was, I don't know”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: The Knicks Land a Haymaker, With Doc Rivers. Plus, a Mini-Mailbag, the End of 'Euphoria,' and a Movies Resurgence With Joanna Robinson and Chris Ryan. (Jun 4, 2026) · Listen from 20:18

Rivers said that in any single-possession game he would favor the Knicks because they know exactly what they do down the stretch.

“if you told anyone, at least with me, before the game is going to come down to a single possession game, you're going to favor the Knicks because the Knicks know exactly what they're doing”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: The Knicks Land a Haymaker, With Doc Rivers. Plus, a Mini-Mailbag, the End of 'Euphoria,' and a Movies Resurgence With Joanna Robinson and Chris Ryan. (Jun 4, 2026) · Listen from 1:55

Rivers says Wembanyama needs to develop a Tim Duncan–style face-up game because it defeats double teams.

“just the face-up to me is because you can't double-team him. He sees you coming. He will pick you apart”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 Finals Lessons, Giannis’s Next Stop, Brunson’s Apex, and Mike Brown’s Magic Touch With Doc Rivers (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 17:15

Rivers believes Wembanyama's limited minutes reflect a league-wide failure to ramp players up toward the playoffs.

“I think it's a league problem as much as a Wimby problem”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 Finals Lessons, Giannis’s Next Stop, Brunson’s Apex, and Mike Brown’s Magic Touch With Doc Rivers (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 11:03

Rivers recounted a Spurs players' meeting from his playing days in which Dennis Rodman challenged Gregg Popovich, who was not the head coach.

“And Dennis Rodman, when Pop finishes, Dennis Rodman says, who's listening to you? You're not the coach”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: The Knicks Land a Haymaker, With Doc Rivers. Plus, a Mini-Mailbag, the End of 'Euphoria,' and a Movies Resurgence With Joanna Robinson and Chris Ryan. (Jun 4, 2026) · Listen from 25:23

Rivers predicted the Spurs would run their '45 set' much more in Game 2 after abandoning it despite early success.

“And they ran it three or four times early in the game and it was successful and they got away from it. So you're going to see that way more in game two on Friday”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: The Knicks Land a Haymaker, With Doc Rivers. Plus, a Mini-Mailbag, the End of 'Euphoria,' and a Movies Resurgence With Joanna Robinson and Chris Ryan. (Jun 4, 2026) · Listen from 13:13

Rivers argues greatness is misjudged when it ignores winning and leadership, saying Brunson led rather than merely played his team to a title.

“And Brunson led their team to an NBA title. He didn't just play his team to an NBA title”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 Finals Lessons, Giannis’s Next Stop, Brunson’s Apex, and Mike Brown’s Magic Touch With Doc Rivers (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 19:57

Rivers argued the Knicks are not a fluke and are contractually set up to contend for years.

“This is not a fluke. This team's going to be good. They're going to be good for a long time”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: The Knicks Land a Haymaker, With Doc Rivers. Plus, a Mini-Mailbag, the End of 'Euphoria,' and a Movies Resurgence With Joanna Robinson and Chris Ryan. (Jun 4, 2026) · Listen from 36:29

Rivers argued Karl-Anthony Towns played the best game of his career in Game 1.

“I thought Carl Anthony Towns played the game of his life. He was amazing”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: The Knicks Land a Haymaker, With Doc Rivers. Plus, a Mini-Mailbag, the End of 'Euphoria,' and a Movies Resurgence With Joanna Robinson and Chris Ryan. (Jun 4, 2026) · Listen from 3:24

Rivers argues Sam Presti learned that acquiring role players like Caruso and Hartenstein, not just stars, changed the Thunder.

“You know what changed their team? He went out and got Caruso and Hardenstein”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 Finals Lessons, Giannis’s Next Stop, Brunson’s Apex, and Mike Brown’s Magic Touch With Doc Rivers (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 1:45:13

Rivers said Oklahoma City's playoff loss proved that there are no dynasties in the current NBA.

“Mid-season, Bill, everyone said there's a dynasty, and it's in Oklahoma. And we've been proven once again. There are no dynasties”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: The Knicks Land a Haymaker, With Doc Rivers. Plus, a Mini-Mailbag, the End of 'Euphoria,' and a Movies Resurgence With Joanna Robinson and Chris Ryan. (Jun 4, 2026) · Listen from 38:48

Rivers says coaches' biggest current worry is the number of outside voices—skill trainers, medical staff, agents—around players.

“I think a lot of them are concerned with how many the outside force is touching their players. There's just too many people”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 Finals Lessons, Giannis’s Next Stop, Brunson’s Apex, and Mike Brown’s Magic Touch With Doc Rivers (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 1:25:25

Rivers praises Mike Brown for coaching an excellent series, particularly his trust in bench players and the Knicks' challenge system.

“The other thing with Mike Brown, he used the hell out of his bench. Right. He really did. I thought Mike Brown coached an amazing series”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 Finals Lessons, Giannis’s Next Stop, Brunson’s Apex, and Mike Brown’s Magic Touch With Doc Rivers (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 40:47

Rivers predicts Giannis will be traded, likely to an Eastern Conference team, and that any deal will involve three teams.

“If it does happen. It'll be three teams”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 Finals Lessons, Giannis’s Next Stop, Brunson’s Apex, and Mike Brown’s Magic Touch With Doc Rivers (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 1:15:53

Rivers says inaccurate trade reports damaged the Bucks and that Giannis repeatedly told him he wasn't going anywhere.

“He told me that several times. Coach, I'm going nowhere. He told me long before the trade deadline”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 Finals Lessons, Giannis’s Next Stop, Brunson’s Apex, and Mike Brown’s Magic Touch With Doc Rivers (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 1:09:25

Rivers argued the current CBA has made this the era in which general managers must build complete rosters to win.

“I think this is the era of GMs. You better do your job. You all got the same type of money”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: The Knicks Land a Haymaker, With Doc Rivers. Plus, a Mini-Mailbag, the End of 'Euphoria,' and a Movies Resurgence With Joanna Robinson and Chris Ryan. (Jun 4, 2026) · Listen from 39:12

Rivers said the apron rules have ended three-star teams, though two-star builds remain viable.

“The three-star thing is gone. We know that. Just contractually, you can't do it. The two-star thing is still alive”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: The Knicks Land a Haymaker, With Doc Rivers. Plus, a Mini-Mailbag, the End of 'Euphoria,' and a Movies Resurgence With Joanna Robinson and Chris Ryan. (Jun 4, 2026) · Listen from 32:44

Rivers predicts VJ Edgecombe will become an elite defensive player in the NBA.

“But he's going to be an elite defensive player in the NBA. Elite. That's coming”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 Finals Lessons, Giannis’s Next Stop, Brunson’s Apex, and Mike Brown’s Magic Touch With Doc Rivers (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 1:37:48

Rivers names Scott Foster the best referee of the season, citing his improved people skills.

“It's not just his refereeing. Where Scott has improved is his people skills”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 Finals Lessons, Giannis’s Next Stop, Brunson’s Apex, and Mike Brown’s Magic Touch With Doc Rivers (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 1:32:46

Rivers says he wouldn't be surprised if the Clippers were involved in a Giannis trade given Steve Ballmer's financial resources.

“I actually wouldn't be surprised at all if the Clippers were involved in this at all. With the financial ability of Steve Ballmer”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 Finals Lessons, Giannis’s Next Stop, Brunson’s Apex, and Mike Brown’s Magic Touch With Doc Rivers (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 1:16:01

Rivers says Harden's ball-dominant style doesn't give teammates room to be great and is not a winning approach.

“See, James doesn't give everybody else enough room to be great. He is the only one that can be great on this team”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 Finals Lessons, Giannis’s Next Stop, Brunson’s Apex, and Mike Brown’s Magic Touch With Doc Rivers (Jun 17, 2026) · Listen from 46:49