Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers will coach the Eastern Conference All-Stars later this month, and he’s not too happy.Rivers was officially honored following the Bucks’ 129-117 victory over the Dallas Mavericks last Saturday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Milwaukee had the second-best record in the East (33-16) before Feb. 4, meaning Rivers and his staff will coach the East team in the 2024 All-Star Game. Coach Joe Mazula was not eligible to take over the Boston Celtics while coaching the Eastern Stars last year. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Rivers tried to convince the NBA to make him ineligible as well. The NBA would have refused. Rivers spent just three games on the Bucks’ coaching staff after Adrian Griffin was fired.
The team has gone 1-2 under Rivers thus far. Rivers could not opt out of the sole-coaching contract, but promised to pass on all associated benefits to Griffin. Rivers said he plans to hand his predecessor cash incentives and an All-Star ring before Saturday’s game. The Bucks were 30-13 and in second place in the East when Griffin was fired. The All-Stars’ embarrassment seems appropriate given the unique way Rivers treated Griffin.
