The Milwaukee Bucks’ Doc Rivers
and Minnesota Timberwolves’ Chris Finch have been named the coaches
for their respective conferences in the upcoming 2024 NBA All-Star
Game in Indianapolis.
Rivers and his staff will get to
coach the Eastern Conference All-Stars as the Bucks have clinched
the best record in the East through games played on Feb. 4 among
the teams with a head coach eligible for the All-Star
game.
The Boston Celtics technically
have the best record in the East at 38-12, but head coach Joe
Mazzulla will not be eligible to coach since he served as the head
coach for the East All-Stars last season, paving the way for
Rivers. He is set to coach his players Giannis Antetokounmpo and
Damian Lillard with Milwaukee being the only team to have two
All-Star starters.
The 62-year-old Rivers has been
with the Bucks for just 3 games this season after the organization
fired Adrian Griffin. He will coach the fourth All-Star Game of his
career with stints in 2008, 2011 and 2021.
However, Rivers explicitly said
in a postgame interview that he was stunned about the selection and
that maybe he’ll send his staff and go on a vacation.
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon also reported that Rivers ‘plans’ to give
Adrian Griffin his All-Star ring and bonus. Griffin coached the Bucks earlier in the season
and led them to a 30-14 record before getting
fired.
Over in the West, Finch receives
the honor to coach the Western Conference All-Stars after leading
Minnesota to a West-leading 35-15 record.
The Timberwolves have clinched
the best record in the West despite being tied with the Thunder
standings-wise by tiebreakers. Minnesota has a superior conference
record at 24-8 compared to OKC’s 21-11 to give Finch and his staff
the All-Star coaching nod for the first time in his
career.
Finch, 54, will be Minnesota’s
first All-Star Game coach since Flip Saunders in 2004 and will
coach two All-Stars as well in Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony
Towns.
