For the second consecutive season, the Milwaukee Bucks were knocked out in the first round of the NBA Playoffs by the Indiana Pacers.
Injuries certainly played a part in both years. Giannis Antetokounmpo didn't play a second last year, and Damian Lillard dealt with Achilles injuries during both runs. One could argue that those injuries were the primary factor in Milwaukee's shortcomings, but there is no doubt that coaching was also one of the team's glaring drawbacks.
The Bucks' decision on Doc Rivers will be first offseason domino
Last season, Doc Rivers was thrown into the fire after taking over for Adrian Griffin mid-season in the middle of a tough schedule. He had a bit more leeway. However, he had a full offseason to prepare this time around, and his biggest flaw, his lack of vital adjustments on the fly, loomed over the Bucks like a black cloud, especially on the big stage.
As the wound still bleeds from the loss against Indiana, the fact that Rivers didn't roll out his best starting lineup until the Bucks were up against the wall in an elimination game, despite the other lineup being a clear hindrance that led to countless slow starts, hurts. Rivers finally made a major adjustment, but it was all too late.
Doc Rivers did not turn the ball over countless times to close Game 5, but if the proper adjustments had been made beforehand, such as a lineup change to start the series, the Milwaukee Bucks may not have been in that situation. It feels like the lack of adjustments may lead the Bucks to embark on yet another coaching search this coming NBA offseason.
Even with the injuries, it never felt like the Milwaukee Bucks reached their true ceiling under Rivers. Whether it was due to the aforementioned lack of adjustments, the reliance on veterans who were put in bad positions or the constant missteps on defense, the Bucks could never put all of the pieces together under Rivers.
The team needs a fresh voice, and they need to get it right this time. Things haven't gone according to plan since they let Mike Budenholzer go. Not all of that is on the coaching hires, again, but it has certainly been a factor. It feels inevitable that the Milwaukee Bucks and Rivers will go their separate ways as the team looks to right the ship.
NBA coaches have such a short leash in today's NBA. The Phoenix Suns just fired Mike Budenholzer after just one season. The Denver Nuggets fired Michael Malone, who helped them win a title in 2022, just before the 2025 postseason. The Memphis Grizzlies fired Taylor Jenkins after several successful seasons. With that in mind, it would be shocking if Doc Rivers were back next season.
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