After firing Adrian Griffin, the
Milwaukee Bucks have hired Doc Rivers as their next head
coach.
“This was a difficult decision
to make during the season,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in
a statement. “We thank Coach Griffin for his hard work and
contributions to the team.”
Although the Bucks have the
NBA’s top-ranked offense (scoring 118.8 points per 100
possessions), they struggled defensively under Griffin, allowing
114.3 points per 100 possessions (which ranks 19th in the
NBA).
While the Bucks compiled a 30-13
record under Griffin, trailing only the Boston Celtics in the
Eastern Conference (by 3.5 games), they have been largely
inconsistent throughout the season.
Superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo
has been lobbying for a better effort on defense, which seemed to
be directed toward Griffin and his staff.
Furthermore, Griffin wasn’t able
to utilize prized acquisition Damian Lillard to his full potential
on offense, as the All-Star guard has had a hard time adjusting to
Milwaukee’s offensive scheme.
Rivers has an all-time coaching
record of 1,097-763 in the regular season and 111-104 in the
playoffs.
Rivers’ most-recent coaching gig
was with the Philadelphia 76ers, but his three-year stint came to
an end when he was fired following the 2022-23 season.
