After firing Adrian Griffin, Bucks hire Doc Rivers as head coach

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.