BOSTON — Nearest dropping within the Japanese Convention semifinals for a 3rd life in a row, Philadelphia 76ers educator Document Rivers mentioned he intends to go back because the workforce’s educator later season, past James Harden mentioned he hadn’t begun to consider what his offseason decision-making procedure could be like forward of figuring out whether or not to choose into his promise for later season or turn out to be a detached agent.

“Yeah,” Rivers mentioned later his workforce fell 112-88 to the Boston Celtics in Recreation 7 of the Japanese Convention semifinals right here on Sunday afternoon. “I think I have two years left.”

Rivers, who was once leased later the NBA’s bubble within the iciness of 2020, has presided over 3 instantly seasons with stepped forward information, going from 49 wins in 2020-21 to 51 wins ultimate season to 54 wins this life — essentially the most Philadelphia has had in any season since 2001, when Allen Iverson received the NBA’s Maximum Decent Participant award and led the 76ers to their ultimate Japanese Convention finals and NBA Finals appearances.

The 76ers was hoping that Joel Embiid profitable this life’s MVP award would foretell a indistinguishable trail in the course of the playoffs. Rather, it led to a 3rd instantly loss within the convention semis, later dropping in seven video games to the Atlanta Hawks in 2021 and 6 video games to the Miami Warmth ultimate season.

When requested the place his courting stands with Rivers, and whether or not he believes he will have to be again as educator later season, Harden merely mentioned, “Our relationship is OK.”

Embiid, in the meantime, was once effusive of his celebrate of Rivers — even though additionally mentioned that, because the league has distinguishable with the new firings of Monty Williams in Phoenix and Mike Budenholzer in Milwaukee, that the training trade is a difficult one, and that he’s satisfied he isn’t the only making those selections.

“Coach has been fantastic,” Embiid mentioned, “and he’s done a great job, in my opinion.”

Philadelphia had two possibilities to go month Boston on this order. However later prominent 83-81 with slightly below 6 mins to move in Recreation 6 Thursday night time, Philadelphia was once outscored 14-3 on its homecourt to similar the sport and spot the Celtics reserve their season alive — best to nearest get obliterated within the 3rd quarter Sunday, dropping it 33-10 to peer a 3-point halftime govern balloon to 26 later 3 quarters.

That made the overall 12 mins not anything greater than a longer celebration for the sellout society right here, which celebrated Boston making it to no less than the Japanese Convention finals for a 5th age within the ultimate seven years.

“We played great all year,” Rivers mentioned, “and this loss absolutely diminishes that, what we did this year, in some ways.”

Harden, in the meantime, was once requested without delay about what his plans are for the summer season later spending his first complete season in Philadelphia, the place he led the league in assists and helped Embiid win MVP, however in the long run fell decrease within the playoffs as soon as once more.

“I haven’t even thought about it,” Harden mentioned. This summer season, Harden can both choose into his $35.6 million participant possibility for later season or subside it and turn out to be an unrestricted detached agent.

When requested a decrease age then what he was hoping his later alternative would seem like later detached company, Harden mentioned, “I just want to have a chance to compete.”

Throughout Philadelphia’s 4 losses on this order, Harden shot simply 12-for-55 — together with 3-for-24 from 3-point length, past he went 37-for-61 within the workforce’s 3 victories.

“They did a really good job,” Harden mentioned of Boston’s protection in Recreation 7, which compelled him to execute 3-for-11 from the ground, together with 1-for-5 from 3. “Robert Williams was in the paint, you know what I mean? We made him pay early and then we kind of went away from what was working and kind of everything slowed down.”

Now, Philadelphia will head into any other offseason later a disappointing 2d spherical advance. For Rivers, he now has long past 6-10 in Recreation 7s — marking each essentially the most Recreation 7s coached by means of somebody within the historical past of the NBA, and with two times as many losses at Pat Riley in 2d (6-5).

Rivers has additionally now misplaced in the second one spherical of the playoffs six occasions since departure Boston later the 2013 season, and hasn’t reached the convention finals since doing so with the Celtics in 2012.

He mentioned he and the 76ers would spend a dozen of age fascinated by the overlooked alternatives that they had on this order — particularly in Recreation 6 — this summer season as they aim to digest this fresh playoff setback.

“Disappointed,” Rivers mentioned, when requested of being on this condition as soon as once more. “I’m disappointed. I thought we had the right group. I really did.

“It’s humorous. I glance out and I discuss preserving receipts from time to time, you already know what I cruel? I don’t suppose one individual on this room picked the Sixers. No longer one. However we did. And we selected to consider that lets win anyway, and we virtually pulled it off.

“Game 6 will be something we’ll think about. Game 7 will be something we think about. But as far as our guys fight, against everybody who picked against us, they didn’t care. They thought they could still win this series. And that’s something good about our team. I thought overall we were fighters.”