The Milwaukee Bucks had a long season filled with challenges and questions regarding the head coach position. After Mike Budenholzer was fired by the team following their first round exit in the NBA Playoffs at the hands of the Miami Heat, the team decided to hire Adrian Griffin, who had the endorsement of Giannis Antetokounmpo. It was a move that was questioned by some at the time, and ended up being a disaster.

Apr 10, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers looks on in the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

It could be argued that Griffin was not given a fair shake. After all, the Bucks acquired Damian Lillard late in the offseason, which left the team very little time to develop chemistry together before the season started. However, questions about Griffin’s leadership and communication kept coming up despite the team’s hot start. For these reasons, and many more we may not be aware of, Griffin was fired when Milwaukee was 30-13 on the season.

After a three-game stint with Joe Prunty as interim head coach (the Bucks went 2-1), Milwaukee brought on NBA Champion Doc Rivers to finish the season and, hopefully, bring multiple titles back to the city.

The Milwaukee Bucks Dealt with Multiple Injuries Under Doc Rovers

Feb 6, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers talks with forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the third quarter of the game against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Many fans and pundits will point to the fact that the Bucks went 17-19 to finish the season with Rivers and use it as a knock against the head coach. However, it should be noted that Rivers was able to play Giannis, Lillard, and Khris Middleton together at the same time in just six of his games as head coach.

Giannis, the two-time NBA MVP, strained his soleus and missed the last three games of the regular season. He also missed the entire series against the Indiana Pacers, which the Bucks lost 4-2. In addition to Giannis’ late season-ending injury, Lillard suffered an Achilles injury in the playoffs that also kept him out for a game and severely limited him in others.

All this to say that it is too early to say how good the Bucks can and/or will be with Rivers as their head coach. He should be given the benefit of a healthy roster and, unlike Griffin, an offseason of Giannis and Lillard working together to prepare and learn how they can better play together.

Former NBA Player Matt Barnes Gets Brutally Honest About Milwaukee Bucks Head Coach Doc Rivers

Apr 30, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers during game five of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Rivers, though, still has his fair share of detractors. In an interview on the Third and Long podcast, Matt Barnes, who played for Rivers while he was with the Los Angeles Clippers, got brutally honest about his former coach:

“I think Doc’s strength is he’s a great motivator, he’s a good communicator to people with people. He’ll have you ready.

“I think his weakness is just kind of keeping it real when real needs to be kept. Also, just kind of in-game strategies and adjustments. Again, I’m not talking bad about him. I’ve played for better coaches just like he’d probably say ‘I’ve coached better players you know.’

“If he was to kind of lash back at me. He has some kind of cache with this league. He’s always the first coach that’s called for great opportunities.”

Other coaches Barnes played for during his NBA career include Mike Dunleavy, Rick Adelman, Larry Brown, Maurice Cheeks, Steve Kerr, Stan Van Gundy, and Phil Jackson.

Jackson especially can easily be considered a better coach than Rivers, which is not a knock against the Bucks coach because Jackson is one of the best coaches in the history of the NBA. Kerr has won four NBA Championships while Rivers only has won one.

Perhaps it is best to just take Barnes’ words at face value; he isn’t trying to knock Rivers as a coach, per say. He is just saying there are better coaches in the history of the league.

Which is true.

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