Doug Rivers became the new head coach of the Bucks, a signing that sparked a lot of discussion and speculation. While Rivers has more experience than previous coach Griffin, his performance in the playoffs has been controversial. Over the course of his career, he has endured multiple turnbacks and lost many key games, which has left many skeptical about his prospects with the Bucks. However, Bucks management has high expectations for Rivers and has offered him a lucrative contract in the hope that he can lead the team to success.
In the past playoffs, Rivers has not had a good record. He went 111-104 in the playoffs, a win percentage of just over 50 percent, which isn't great for a head coach's resume. In addition, Rivers has been reversed seven times, lost the tiebreaker ten times, and lost the finishing series 32 times, all of which are NBA all-time records. He missed nine consecutive divisional finals and five consecutive defeats in tie-breaks. The stats show that Rivers didn't show his coaching ability in key games.
Doug Rivers has a wealth of coaching experience and some notable accomplishments in the NBA. He has coached with the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Clippers. In his first season as head coach of the Magic in 1999, Rivers led the team to a 41-41 record, ranked ninth in the East, and won the Coach of the Year award. However, in the four seasons that followed, the Magic made the playoffs only once, and made it to the first round several times in the playoffs, including a comeback by the Detroit Pistons.
In nine seasons with the Celtics, Rivers reached his prime. He led the Celtics to a championship in 2008, the only time in his coaching career. This year, the Celtics boasted the Big Three of the time, Paul Pearce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen, whose stellar performances and Rivers' guidance made the team achieve great moments. However, in the playoffs after that, the Celtics did not perform well, and Rivers did not make another breakthrough in the playoffs.
After that, Rivers coached the Los Angeles Clippers, who had a 356-208 record in seven seasons, a 63 percent win rate. However, the Clippers didn't make much of a breakthrough in the playoffs either, often stopping in the first or second round. Those coaching experiences have shown that Rivers has not shown the ability to lead the team to success in the playoffs, aside from winning a championship with the Celtics Big Three.
Returning to the current situation of the Bucks, who failed to make it to the Finals last season, it was undoubtedly a huge blow to a team with rookie coach Griffin. Bucks management has decided to fire Griffin and sign Rivers in the hope that he can lead the team to better results in the coming seasons. However, given Rivers' performance in the playoffs and his losses in key games, there are doubts about whether he can lead the Bucks to a championship.
While the Bucks have a player as good as Antetokounmpo, the game of basketball is a team sport that requires the collaboration and cooperation of the entire team to succeed. Rivers has not shown great team-building and tactical coaching skills in his past coaching experience. His comeback in the playoffs and the loss of key games have raised questions about his ability and decision-making. Therefore, in the current situation, it is difficult to determine whether Rivers can lead the Bucks to the championship.
Overall, Rivers has a lot of coaching experience in the NBA, but he hasn't been great in the playoffs, especially in key games. Signing with the Bucks is a new challenge for him, and he needs to lead the Bucks to a breakthrough in the playoffs. However, to achieve this, in addition to Rivers' coaching ability, the coordination and performance of the Bucks' entire team is also crucial. Only through joint efforts can the Bucks have a chance to fight for a championship. It will take time and effort, and we'll see.