Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers will not be present for Thursday night's road matchup versus the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, per the team. While he attends a funeral, lead assistant and former Los Angeles Lakers HC Darvin Ham will command the sidelines. Condolences are with Rivers and those affected by this passing.
The Bucks have been playing well, winning four of their last five contests after losing eight of their previous nine. Since superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is intent on returning to the court this season, the squad could prioritize a potential playoff berth. Milwaukee (22-30) is two games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the final slot in the NBA Play-In Tournament, so every game counts.
Beating the defending NBA champions would normally be a difficult task with or without Rivers, but the Thunder are missing key members themselves. Reigning regular season and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, All-Star Jalen Williams and glue guy Isaiah Hartenstein are all inactive for Thursday's clash in OKC.
If the Bucks can capitalize on this lengthy injury report and escape Paycom Center with a W, they will be heading into the break with more momentum than they have had since the beginning of the campaign. Will Ham come through?
Although his tenure in LA did not end well, the two-time champion (one as a player and one as an assistant) did coach the Lakers to the Western Conference Finals. Ergo, he may be able to hold his own against Mark Daigneault and company. The action tips off at approximately 7:30 p.m. ET.
