“I’ll send my staff and go on vacation,” BAFFLED Doc Rivers takes matters to Adam Silver after invite to coach All-Star team

Doc Rivers said he will send the All-Star head coach ring and bonus to Adrian Griffin, feels a rule should be in place to prevent this.

“I’ll send my staff and go on vacation,” BAFFLED Doc Rivers takes matters to Adam Silver after invite to coach All-Star team

Doc Rivers said he will take up the matter with Adam Silver after he was named as the Eastern Conference All-Star team head coach (Image via YouTube & NBA/X)

New Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers already has the most bizarre situation at hand. He is tasked with the job of taking the Bucks to a championship with less than half of the season left. He already mentioned this in his introductory press conference. But what transpired yesterday had Rivers baffled.

The NBA named Doc Rivers as the head coach of the Eastern Conference All-Star team. He has coached the Bucks for exactly three games this season. Usually, such a small number of games will never bring about a call to coach an All-Star team. However, the selection system had to pick Rivers. Rivers was asked about this situation in the post-game press conference. He had this to say:

That is ridiculously bad… Well, Adrian's going to get some money and a ring… Maybe I’ll send my staff and I’ll go on vacation.
Doc Rivers said
YouTube video

Rivers qualified for the All-Star coaching gig after the Bucks won today’s game. Rivers could not fathom himself doing the job when his predecessor Adrian Griffin should be the recipient.

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The criteria for selecting the All-Star coach was the best record in the conference. The Bucks are currently second. The Boston Celtics have the best record. Celtics head coach Joe Mazulla cannot be selected after he was the coach last year. But Rivers has mentioned that he will talk to Commissioner Adam Silver about the situation.

Rivers does not see this as the correct choice. He feels someone else should do it considering he has only been the coach for 3 games. Rivers mentioned that he would prefer to send his staff to coach the team. He will also send the ring and the bonus he receives to Griffin.

Selecting the All-Star game head coach

To coach an All-Star team, the team has to have the best record in their respective conference. The deadline for the record is the 4th of February. The Boston Celtics hold the best record in the East. Coach Mazulla was the All-Star coach last season. Moreover, as per the Riley Rule, he cannot be selected.

Adrian Griffin was the rightful candidate for being All-Star coach had he not been fired
Adrian Griffin was the rightful candidate for being All-Star coach had he not been fired (image via Bucks Lead/X)

With today’s win, the Bucks confirmed their second-best record in the East. Even though Adrian Griffin was responsible for the Bucks record, his firing means he cannot be the coach. Rivers automatically becomes the coach. The top teams of the Western Conference will play tomorrow. The West head coach will be decided after the games are over.

Doc Rivers might find the situation uneasy. After all, he had no hand in the Bucks’ second-place record. He acknowledged that and will send the incentives Griffin’s way.

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