Rivers out as coach of 76ers after collapse

Doc Rivers’ penchant for playoff collapses and second-round exits cost him his coaching job with the 76ers.

The 76ers fired Rivers on Tuesday following a third straight exit in the second round of the playoffs, and the second time over that span he lost a series lead and a Game 7.

Rivers led the 76ers to their second straight 50-win season behind NBA MVP Joel Embiid but again failed to lead them to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2001. The 76ers haven’t won an NBA championship since 1983.

The 76ers held a 3-2 lead against the Celtics in the East semifinals before they lost Game 6 at home and were crushed in Game 7 on the road.

Rivers fell to 6-10 in Game 7s. The 10 losses are five more than any other NBA coach.

Rivers and the 76ers also lost a Game 7 at home in the second round to the Hawks in 2021 as a No. 1 seed.

The 61-year-old Rivers had two years left on his contract and was 154-82 in three years with the 76ers. He won the 2008 NBA title as coach of the Celtics.

College football: Kansas State signed coach Chris Klieman to a new eightyear deal that will pay an average of $5.5 million annually. It replaced a contract due to end after the 2026 season that paid him an average of $4 million. Klieman, 55, led the Wildcats to the Big 12 title last season.

NFL: The league and NBCUniversal announced that the Saturday night playoff game on wildcard weekend will be on Peacock. The Peacock game will also be broadcast on NBC stations in the markets of the two teams.

Soccer: The U.S. can select Folarin Balogun after the England under-21 forward opted to represent the 2026 World Cup co-host. FIFA approved a request by the U.S. Soccer Federation to change Balogun’s national eligibility from England. The 21-year-old was born in New York.