Bucks Coach Doc Rivers Leaves Game Due to Illness

Milwaukee, WI — Bucks head coach Doc Rivers exited the bench during the first half of Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers due to illness, as reported by The Athletic.

Assistant coach Darvin Ham has stepped in for Rivers “for the time being.” Sources indicate that Rivers is currently watching the game from the Bucks’ locker room, where the team led Philadelphia 61-59 at halftime.

This is Rivers’ second season with the Bucks after he took over midseason last year, replacing Adrian Griffin, who was dismissed. His inaugural season ended with a disappointing first-round playoff exit to the Indiana Pacers.

As the Bucks aim to secure a top-six seed and thus avoid the play-in tournament, having Ham at the helm provides some reassurance. Ham previously served as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers for two seasons, guiding the team to the Western Conference Finals in 2023 before being let go following a first-round playoff exit last year.

Currently, the Bucks hold the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 41-34, sitting just half a game behind the Detroit Pistons and five games ahead of the seventh-seeded Orlando Magic.

To clinch at least a top-seven seed for the playoffs, the Bucks need to secure a win on Thursday, along with losses from both the Magic and the Miami Heat.