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

After firing Adrian Griffin, theMilwaukee Bucks have hired Doc Rivers as their next headcoach.

"This was a difficult decisionto make during the season," Bucks general manager Jon Horst said ina statement. "We thank Coach Griffin for his hard work andcontributions to the team."

Although the Bucks have theNBA's top-ranked offense (scoring 118.8 points per 100possessions), they struggled defensively under Griffin, allowing114.3 points per 100 possessions (which ranks 19th in theNBA).

While the Bucks compiled a 30-13record under Griffin, trailing only the Boston Celtics in theEastern Conference (by 3.5 games), they have been largelyinconsistent throughout the season.

Superstar Giannis Antetokounmpohas been lobbying for a better effort on defense, which seemed tobe directed toward Griffin and his staff.

Furthermore, Griffin wasn't ableto utilize prized acquisition Damian Lillard to his full potentialon offense, as the All-Star guard has had a hard time adjusting toMilwaukee’s offensive scheme.

Rivers has an all-time coachingrecord of 1,097-763 in the regular season and 111-104 in theplayoffs.

Rivers' most-recent coaching gigwas with the Philadelphia 76ers, but his three-year stint came toan end when he was fired following the 2022-23 season.