Never said: Tracy McGrady in 2003
(Never Too Much podcast: playoffs playoffs playoffs playoffs!)
Doc Rivers let it all loose on Wednesday:
Doc Rivers got a little defensive when discussing his past teams' collapses 👀
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) 5:58 PM ∙ Apr 27, 2022
Doc has a career record of 15-31 in playoff closeout games, his teams surrendered 3-1 leads in 2003, 2015, and 2020.
He says he blew the 2020 series to the Nuggets, while adding a “bubble” caveat, as if Denver played the series in Colorado.
He blames the 2015 loss on Chris Paul’s injury which, sure.
Doc also tells the surviving members of the 2002-03 Orlando Magic that they were lucky to even be in the playoffs. Paraphrasing.
The 2003 team took a 3-1 lead over Detroit in the first round behind Tracy McGrady, and as Wednesday’s Tim Bontemps quote relays, you know the rest:
Famously, McGrady -- who never made it out of the first round of the playoffs until the end his career as a bit player with San Antonio -- said after winning Game 4 to take that 3-1 lead, “It feels good to get in the second round.”
McGrady’s Magic misstep was the first year the NBA held seven-game series in the first round, a year earlier that 3-1 lead sends you to the second round.
Pistons coach Rick Carlisle moved rookie Tayshaun Prince into his rotation and onto McGrady in Game 5, the Pistons rolled.
And I don’t know if Tracy McGrady said that. I can’t find a single quote.
