The Milwaukee Bucks wasted little time.
Shortly after their season came to an end with a 126-106 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night, the Bucks decided to part ways with head coach Doc Rivers after three seasons.
Things just never quite clicked for Rivers in Milwaukee as he was never able to lead the team as far as the front office had hoped when they brough him in to replace Adrian Griffin. After two consecutive first-round losses under Rivers, the Bucks failed to qualify for postseason play this season for the first time since 2016. That was the final straw. Now, they’ll begin to look for a replacement for Rivers.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Was Surprised By Doc Rivers’ Dismissal
GettyGiannis Antetokounmpo, Doc Rivers
While not necessarily a shock in this particular situation, it’s still a big deal when a team decides to move on from a coach, especially one as decorated as Rivers, who will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame later this year.
Shortly after the news of Rivers’ dismissal broke, Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo offered a reaction that was equal parts surprise and respect.
“It’s a shock to me,” Antetokounmpo said. “He’s had 25 years as a coach, incredible coach, almost 15 years as a player. He’s been in the NBA for 30, 40 years. He’s definitely an NBA legend. As you guys know he’s a Hall of Famer. It was great working with him. … I got to go call him.”
Perhaps Antetokounmpo feels a bit of guilt regarding Rivers. After all, part of Milwaukee’s struggles this season were due to Antetokounmpo’s lack of availability. The two-time MVP played in a career-low 36 games for the Bucks this season, though he would have played in more, if it had been up to him.
What Will the Future Hold For Doc Rivers?
While Rivers’ dismissal might have come as a bit of a surprise to Antetokounmpo, it probably didn’t come as much of a surprise to Rivers himself. It felt like the writing was on the wall for several weeks regarding Rivers’ future in Milwaukee and prior to the game against Philadelphia, Rivers sounded like a guy who knew the end was near.
“I don’t ever use that R-word (retirement) because you never know,” Rivers said, via The Athletic. “I don’t want to be Ali and keep coming back. But yeah, it is (an emotional day). Kevin Eastman (who served as an assistant coach under Rivers in Boston and Los Angeles), some of my old coaches are here. So, it’s cool.”
While Rivers remained largely non-committal about his future while speaking with media members, he did rule out one thing: Following in the footsteps of former Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone and continuing his coaching career in on the sidelines in college.
“No, no, no. That’s not gonna happen,” Rivers said. “First of all, Michael [Malone] is way younger than me. And secondly, that’s a heck no. That’s free agency every year. No thank you. No. Oh my God, no.”
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