The Milwaukee Bucks moved quickly to hire Doc Rivers after they shockingly fired head coach Adrian Griffin on Tuesday, and the reaction to the change was not exactly all positive.
Rivers has agreed to a deal to become the head coach of the Bucks, according to multiple reports. Though the Bucks are 30-13 and have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, they still believe Rivers can carry them further than Griffin would have been able to.
Of course, Rivers has not been to a conference finals in over a decade. The Philadelphia 76ers fired Rivers last year following a third consecutive loss in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Many fans believe the result will be the same in Milwaukee, which led to the same joke popping up over and over again on X.
BREAKING: The Milwaukee Bucks have lost the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 7 games.
— BetMGM (@BetMGM) January 24, 2024
2nd round is the ceiling with this guy
— Dani (@Danizeh) January 24, 2024
Doc Rivers trying to lose one more eastern conference finals. pic.twitter.com/SGyBNF211T
— At The Buzzer (@AtTheBuzzer1) January 24, 2024
Please hire Doc Rivers so you can blow a 3-1 lead in the East Finals to the Celtics. @Bucks
— James Stewart ☝️ (@IAmJamesStewart) January 23, 2024
Doc Rivers is going to finally help Joel Embiid advance in the playoffs
— Jon Metler (@JonMetler) January 24, 2024
Rivers, 62, has served as a head coach for the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, LA Clippers and Philadelphia. He won a championship with the Celtics in 2008 and took them to another NBA Finals two years later, but his more recent teams have consistently choked in the playoffs. If something like that happens with the Bucks, the decision to bring in Rivers will be heavily scrutinized.
All indications are that the Bucks have been planning for a while to turn their team over to Rivers.
