Milwaukee Bucks Make Surprising Choice As New Head Coach

After failing to take the stacked lineups of first the Los Angeles Clippers and then the Philadelphia 76ers to any significant playoff success, Doc Rivers will now get yet another chance, this time with the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Doc Rivers has agreed on a deal to become the new head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. pic.twitter.com/44lMPIozoA

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 24, 2024

The Bucks fired rookie head coach Adrian Griffin this week, and now hand the reins over to the much-maligned Rivers, who oversaw the disastrous Ben Simmons situation in Philly, and failed to get the Joel Embiid-led team out of the second round in his 3 seasons there. 

Rivers has a 16-33 record in the playoffs with his teams on the brink of a series win; his teams have also blown three 3-1 series leads, of the 13 times it's been done in the entire history of the NBA. 

He has a .500 coaching record in the playoffs over the last 10 years, and hasn't gotten a team out of the second round since 2010, despite regularly having 50+ win clubs. 

Now, he'll be tasked with getting Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and the Bucks back to the promised land. 

Sixers fans, however, who were thrilled to see Rivers go last year, find the Bucks hiring quite amusing, and were having a lot of fun with it on social media:

Doc Rivers is going to finally help Joel Embiid advance in the playoffs

— Jon Metler (@JonMetler) January 24, 2024

SEASON OVER pic.twitter.com/iOY3wayOMQ

— Broad STweet 🔔🦅 (@Broad_STweet) January 24, 2024

Heck, even a major online betting site was having fun with the Rivers hiring:

BREAKING: The Milwaukee Bucks have lost the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 7 games.

— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) January 24, 2024

The Eastern Conference playoffs should be one fun place to be, come this May.