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0 According to recent reports, the Milwaukee Bucks have hired Doc Rivers as their new coach for the remainder of the 2023-24 NBA season. This decision came after the team parted ways with Adrian Griffin, who had been the head coach for only 43 games. Rivers is an experienced coach with a total of nearly 1,100 wins in his NBA coaching career, including an NBA title in 2008.
Rivers’ appointment is expected to bring stability to the team, which has struggled with its defensive ratings, despite having star players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez. The Bucks’ current record stands at 30-13, and the hope is that Rivers will be able to turn their season around and lead them to greater success.
Before joining the Bucks, Rivers had been working as a TV analyst with ESPN since the start of the season. However, he has now returned to the NBA bench as a coach, and his first task will be to help the Bucks overcome their current defensive weaknesses.
The Bucks had initially named Joe Prunty as their interim coach after Griffin’s firing, but that role will now be taken over by Rivers. Prunty had previously served as an interim coach for both Milwaukee and Atlanta. Despite his experience, the team is hoping that Rivers will be able to make a greater impact and help them improve their standings in the league.
The Bucks have one of the best records in the NBA, but they face a challenging schedule ahead. They have produced some concerning performances in January, including back-to-back losses against the Indiana Pacers and a 40-point loss to Cleveland. However, they have won five of their last six games, and their core players, including Antetokounmpo and seven-time All-NBA guard Damian Lillard, remain strong.
Rivers’ coaching history is impressive, having led the Philadelphia 76ers to two consecutive 50-win seasons before being fired after their third straight exit in the East semifinals. Before that, he had coached the Clippers from 2013-20, the Boston Celtics from 2004-13, and the Orlando Magic from 1999-2003. Rivers’ coaching record stands at 1,097-763 in the regular season and 111-104 in the playoffs, and he needs just one more win to tie Larry Brown for No. 8 in NBA coaching wins.
Interestingly, Rivers has strong ties to Milwaukee, having played for Marquette from 1980-83, and his No. 31 jersey hangs from the rafters at the Fiserv Forum. All of these factors indicate that Rivers is a great fit for the Bucks and could help them achieve their goals for the rest of the season and beyond.
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