The Milwaukee Bucks are just three years removed from being crowned NBA champions, having won their title with a series victory over the Phoenix Suns. However, things haven't gone as smoothly for them since then, and they've especially struggled early in the 2024-25 NBA season.
Following Monday night's loss to the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers, the Bucks are now a stunning 1-6 through seven games.
The Bucks weren't aided by the absence of injured superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, out with a right adductor strain.
And not long after the loss, frustrated Bucks fans took to social media to express their disdain for the coaching duo of Doc Rivers and Darvin Ham.
“Bucks owner gotta be sick knowing that if he fires Doc Rivers, the job just ends up going to Darvin Ham 💀,” wrote @badboysremix.
“Nothing changes for the bucks until they change their coaching staff. Doc rivers and Darvin ham is devious work,” exclaimed @Brandon_Belleau.
“FO really thought they were doing something by hiring Doc Rivers and Darvin Ham,” opined @0nevagabond.
“It’s crazy that a few seasons ago the bucks were on the way to a 70+ wins, they won a championship, Giannis won mvp, & dpoy. Then Khris got injured so they fired coach, traded away jrue holiday & brought in doc rivers & darvin ham. Now they’re 1-6 & talking about trading Giannis,” exclaimed @MooSA_Moo.
“Who tf in the Bucks Administration thought Darvin Ham and Doc Rivers were a Life Changing Coaching Duo, also why trade Jrue Holiday, Dame cannot defend if his life depended on it,” wrote @AGM012345.
“Meanwhile the Bucks are now bottom barrel… sitting rock bottom in the Eastern Conf. Who in their right mind made Doc Rivers & Darvin Ham head coaches of the @Bucks. Like, who thought it best to fire Coach Bud after winning them a Championship? SMH,” exclaimed @PotentateOfLA.
It's clear that Bucks Nation is frustrated with how their season is going, and they're laying plenty of blame at the feet of the coaching staff led by Rivers and Ham.
The Bucks are off to their worst start in over two decades
The Bucks hired Rivers in January earlier this year after their stunning decision to part ways with Adrian Griffin just 43 games into his NBA head coaching career despite going 30-13.
They also stunned fans prior to that by firing championship-winning head coach Mike Budenholzer after their postseason loss to the Miami Heat in 2023; he also led them to the top seed in the Eastern Conference in 2022-23, making their loss to the Heat all the more surprising.
The last time the Bucks started a season with only one win in six games was the 2000-01 season; they lost nine of their first 12 but rebounded to win 52 games.
Whether or not the coaching duo of Rivers and Ham, who was hired after being let go as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this spring, remains to be seen.