Bucks part ways with Doc Rivers after NBA playoff miss: report
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Doc Rivers is out as the Milwaukee Bucks head coach, ESPN reported Sunday, citing sources.Rivers left his broadcasting job to return to the NBA sidelines as the Bucks coach shortly after Adrian Griffin was fired 43 games into the 2023-24 season. Now Rivers exits Milwaukee after a 126-106 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, capping a 32-50 season that ended in a missed NBA playoff berth.Rivers coached the Bucks to first-round playoff exits in each of the past two seasons.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMThe Bucks will now launch their third head coaching search in the past three years. Rivers departure comes amid uncertainty surrounding the future of franchise star Giannis Antetokounmpo.The Bucks will now launch their third head coaching search in the past three years. Rivers departure comes amid uncertainty surrounding the future of franchise star Giannis Antetokounmpo.The NBA trade deadline passed in February without a deal involving Antetokounmpo. The two-time league MVP saw limited action in the 2025-26 season, appearing in a career-low 36 games.Antetokounmpo dealt with a knee hyperextension and bone bruise during the season. He was later sidelined for a stretch of games, fueling speculation the Bucks shut him down despite his being healthy, prompting an NBA investigation into the handling of the star forward.Antetokounmpos frustration boiled over as he insisted he was healthy enough to play despite being sidelined for a 10th straight game when Milwaukee faced the Boston Celtics on April 3."Ive never seen a case of a player saying, my caliber of player, thats like Im saying it publicly I want to f---ing play. You know what Im saying?" he said, via The Athletic. "I dont think Ive seen this. So, if there needs to be an investigation, great. There should be. I dont know. There should be. Until we figure something out."He then said he was "available to play."Rivers addressed Antetokounmpos comments after the teams 133-101 loss."The tough part about all this is that Im in the middle, and I have nothing to do with it," Rivers said. "Coaches dont decide any of this. The problem with our league is the coaches are the ones sitting out front."And we have to sit here and answer this stuff. I think there are two sides to this I will tell you that but I dont want to get too involved in it."Rivers added that he didnt like that the feud had gone "public."Antetokounmpo averaged 27.6 points and 9.8 rebounds this season. He was named NBA Finals MVP when he helped the Bucks secure the franchises first championship since 1971.Rivers coached the Celtics to the NBA title in 2008. He was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in 1983. After retiring as a player, Rivers moved into broadcasting, calling NBA games. In 1999, he was named head coach of the Orlando Magic, a role he held until 2003.Before returning to the coaching ranks, Rivers was part of ESPNs lead NBA broadcasting team.Fox News' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.Follow Fox News Digitals sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
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