Austin Rivers finding Nuggets role after ‘lapses’ during messy Knicks exit

Rivers will get a chance to face the Knicks after a falling out with the coach over being banished from the rotation.

After much reflection across the past couple of months, former Knicks guard Austin Rivers indicated he made some “lapses” with Tom Thibodeau’s team.

Wednesday in Denver, the new Nuggets guard will get a chance to face the Knicks for the first time since a falling out with the coach over being banished from the rotation.

Rivers was taken out of the rotation when Derrick Rose arrived on Super Bowl Sunday and didn’t handle it well, especially when Frank Ntilikina then leapfrogged him in the pecking order.

As reported by The Post, during one game, Rivers didn’t sit on the bench. At other junctures, he looked uninspired.

Rivers left the Knicks after the All-Star Break and finally was traded at the March 25 deadline to the Thunder. He was waived and signed with Denver on April 20 when the Nuggets lost Jamal Murray. And now Rivers is loving life on the hottest team outside the Knicks.

“I’ve had chance to reflect over the past month,’’ Rivers said last week on Zoom. “When you go through something unintended for yourself, you start asking, ‘Why me?’ You start pointing fingers the other way. As time goes on, you get a chance to look in the mirror and ask: ‘What did I do wrong? What can I do better? Why am I hear in this situation?’ Basketball-wise, no way I felt I should’ve been in this situation.

“My whole pitch to them was positive energy all the time. Whenever my name is called, be in attack mode. When I’m not, support the hell out of these guys.’’

Rivers, 28, seemed troubled by accusations he wasn’t enough of a team player on Thibodeau’s Knicks once he lost his role. Rivers signed with the Knicks in November on recommendation of his father Doc Rivers.

The loquacious Rivers was asked on April 29 about young Nuggets stud Michael Porter Jr., and veered into a prophetic take on his own journey.

“It’s a funny league,’’ Rivers said. “Because one moment or interaction with somebody, they’ll write you off as who you are as a person. It’s the world we live in. It’s not fair but that’s what it is. I know this. I suffer from the same things.

Austin Rivers signed with the Nuggets after being traded away by the Knicks at the deadline.

“People say a lot of stuff about me that really gets to me. Not about my basketball game. People can talk about who I am as a player all day. I really don’t care. When they talk about me as a character, it’s something that challenges you. Everybody has bad days. Everybody has lapses. I’ve had too many. We all have.’’

Rivers started with the Nuggets on a 10-day contract, then was signed for the rest of the season last week. In eight games, he is averaging 5.4 points while shooting just 33.3 percent from the floor in 25 minutes a game. Defense is keeping Rivers on the floor.

“I love playing for this team, honestly,’’ Rivers said of the Nuggets, who are 17-4 over their past 21 games.

“They play the right way. It’s a great group. I feel lucky to be part of it. What makes this team special is their best player is a pass-first superstar (Nikola Jokic). He has no ego. They make you feel like you’re part of a family.’’

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman