Current:Home > ScamsMilwaukee Bucks to hire Doc Rivers as coach, replacing the fired Adrian Griffin-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Milwaukee Bucks to hire Doc Rivers as coach, replacing the fired Adrian Griffin
View Date:2024-12-23 23:45:04
The Milwaukee Bucks hired veteran NBA head coach Doc Rivers on Wednesday to replace first-time head coach Adrian Griffin, who the Bucks fired Tuesday following a 30-13 start filled with frustration, according to a NBA official with direct knowledge of the hiring.
The official spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because it has not been announced yet.
Rivers, who played in the NBA and at Marquette University in Milwaukee, takes over a team with considerable expectations — win another championship following the one the Bucks won in 2021 with two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and seven-time All-NBA performer Damian Lillard leading the way.
For a team with a winning percentage just below .700, there was sense the team had underachieved, a sentiment that was expressed publicly by Antetokounmpo following dubious losses and brewing internally with the front office and ownership.
Now, it’s on Rivers to get the Bucks headed in a better direction, especially defensively. During Mike Budenholzer’s five-year stint as Bucks coach, they had one of the top defenses in the league, including No. 1 in 2018-19 and 2019-20. This season, the Bucks are 22nd defensively.
Offense isn’t a problem. Milwaukee is No. 2 in that department, not a surprise with Antetokounmpo, Lillard and Khris Middleton.
OPINION: Why did Bucks fire coach Adrian Griffin?
Rivers was one of the premier coaches available. In 24 seasons, he has coached Orlando, Boston, the Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia, leading the Celtics to an NBA title in 2008. He was the 1999-2000 Coach of the Year, and in 2021-22, he was named on the 15 greatest coaches in NBA history.
He has a career record of 1,097-763, the ninth-most victories all-time. However, since leaving Boston, he has had solid teams with the Clippers and Sixers but never got back to the conference finals.
From 2020-2023, Rivers spent three seasons with the Sixers losing in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Sixers dismissed Rivers, who joined ESPN as an analyst on the top TV announcing crew alongside Mike Breen and Doris Burke. It’s common for coaches to have contractual provisions that allow them to return to coaching.
veryGood! (3876)
Related
- Barbora Krejcikova calls out 'unprofessional' remarks about her appearance
- Stock analysts who got it wrong last year predict a soft landing in 2024
- Teacher gifting etiquette: What is (and isn't) appropriate this holiday
- Stolen packages could put a chill on the holiday season. Here's how experts say you can thwart porch pirates.
- Noem’s Cabinet appointment will make a plain-spoken rancher South Dakota’s new governor
- Mexico-based startup accused of selling health drink made from endangered fish: Nature's best kept secret
- Ashlyn Harris Steps Out With Sophia Bush at Art Basel Amid Ali Krieger Divorce
- Texas Supreme Court pauses ruling that allowed pregnant woman to have an abortion
- 'Devastation is absolutely heartbreaking' from Southern California wildfire
- With no supermarket for residents of Atlantic City, New Jersey and hospitals create mobile groceries
Ranking
- Halle Berry surprises crowd in iconic 2002 Elie Saab gown from her historic Oscar win
- Thursday Night Football highlights: Patriots put dent into Steelers' playoff hopes
- Ukraine’s human rights envoy calls for a faster way to bring back children deported by Russia
- 1 member of family slain in suburban Chicago was in relationship with shooting suspect, police say
- 'The Penguin' spoilers! Colin Farrell spills on that 'dark' finale episode
- Woman tries to set fire to Martin Luther King Jr.'s birth home, Atlanta police say
- Selena Gomez Congratulates Angel Spring Breakers Costar Ashley Benson On Her Pregnancy
- How Gisele Bündchen Blocks Out the Noise on Social Media
Recommendation
-
GM recalls 460k cars for rear wheel lock-up: Affected models include Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac
-
NBA getting what it wants from In-Season Tournament, including LeBron James in the final
-
November jobs report shows economy added 199,000 jobs; unemployment at 3.7%
-
Woman tries to set fire to Martin Luther King Jr.'s birth home, Atlanta police say
-
Vegas Sphere reports revenue decline despite hosting UFC 306, Eagles residency
-
With Putin’s reelection all but assured, Russia’s opposition still vows to undermine his image
-
Hunter Biden indicted on tax crimes by special counsel
-
Southern California man sentenced to life in prison for sex trafficking minors: 'Inexcusable' and 'horrific' acts