Photo by Keith Allison via Wikimedia Commons
Doc Rivers 2011
Doc Rivers coaching the Celtics 2011
Milwaukee fired head coach Adrian Griffin on Jan. 24, despite a 30-13 record. They also held second place in NBA Eastern Conference and first place in the Central Division. Most media outlets were quick to point out those three facts, while also recounting the disarray shown by the team, and at the front office level.
It only took 43 games to let him go. He was brought in to replace Mike Budenholzer, who was fired after being unable to lead the Bucks into delivering another NBA championship after 2021.
Add the trades of Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen, just before the current season started, and there goes the defense. Swapping for Damian Lillard, possibly thinking offense will replace defense, is still a puzzling move. It still remains that without Giannis Antetokounmpo, there is no offense. It still remains that this is the front office’s mess.
Effectively tying Griffin’s hands behind his back, the meddling proved to be a disaster waiting to happen. The defensive lapses that were evident in pre-season games never went away. Griffin’s departure was written, as the effort on some nights could be termed “lackadaisical.” Even Antetokounmpo called out his teammates, after poor showings.
Winning Despite Themselves
To say the team won games in spite of themselves without a cohesive game plan is a valid observation. 17,500 people booed the Bucks before halftime, for a poor effort, during a game last month. Why not?
Attendance is averaging 17,640 for 26 home games this season at the Fiserv, according to ESPN. It doesn’t appear the corporate coffers are hurting, with fans still willing to shell out high prices for tickets such as $360 for one ADA seat on certain nights. So, do the fans want a winner, or entertainment?
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In pursuit of a championship means fire the coach, not the team. The news came Jan. 25 that future Hall-of-Famer Doc Rivers was in negotiations to become the new head coach and returning to town. A star at Marquette from 1980-83, with his jersey hanging in the arena’s rafters, he coached the Boston Celtics to a title in 2008, and into the 2010 finals.
Rivers also coached the Los Angeles Clippers (2018-20), and the Philadelphia 76ers (2020-23), who fired him. They made it to the second round of the playoffs in each of his three seasons.
Two days later, during the press conference, he responded to a question about taking the call to come back on the golf course.
“You know the answer, c’mon,” Rivers said. “Giannis, Dame … there are a few teams that have a legitimate shot, and the Bucks are one of them. They’re built, and the way they’re built with veterans … they’re grown-ups. I thought, if you’re going to jump into this, at this time of year, this is the crew that will give you the best opportunity to change and connect with, the quickest,” he said.
His first game with the Bucks on Jan. 29, in his 25th season of coaching, was a 113-107 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Antetokounmpo scored 29 points, with 12 rebounds, and Lillard stayed on the court mostly, instead of being taken in and out, as before.
The Bucks played a tight defensive game Jan. 31 against the Portland Trailblazers, losing 119-116 in an away game. It spoiled Lillard’s own return to where he was traded from, getting 25 points in 40 minutes of play.
It could be interesting, as Rivers gets his feet wet righting a ship that the front office has tried so hard to sink.
The Bucks will be at the Fiserv to play the Minnesota Timberwolves (Feb. 8), the Charlotte Hornets (Feb. 9), the Denver Nuggets (Feb. 12), the Miami Heat (Feb. 13), and the Memphis Grizzlies (Feb. 15).
