The experienced Doc Rivers will be named coach of the Milwaukee Bucks of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, several American media announced Wednesday the day after the dismissal of Adrian Griffin. CNN, The Athletic and even ESPN, NBA broadcaster for which Rivers is a star consultant this season, announce an agreement between the coach and the Wisconsin franchise.
Doc Rivers was fired by the Philadelphia Sixers in May 2023, after an elimination in the play-offs at the Eastern Conference semi-finals. At 62, Rivers will take the reins of a fifth NBA franchise, after Orlando (1999-2004), the Boston Celtics (2004-2013), whom he led to the title in 2008, the Los Angeles Clippers (2013- 2020) and Philadelphia (2020-2023). A historic figure in the basketball league, he is escorted, despite his title, by an unflattering record in the play-offs, where his teams have already been overthrown four times after leading a 3-2 series, and where he He only won 6 of the 16 N.7 matches he played.
In Milwaukee, the American will join a team second in the Eastern Conference standings (30 wins – 13 losses), which on Tuesday fired its coach Adrian Griffin, who arrived last summer to replace Mike Budenholzer, who was fired after a defeat. in the first round of the 2023 play-offs. Champions in 2021, led by Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks recruited All-Star point guard Damian Lillard last summer to form a star duo who should propel them to a third title (after 1971 and 2021). Milwaukee hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
