標籤: Nouri

It’s looked hopeless at many points this season, but somehow, the Milwaukee Bucks are still alive in the playoff race — especially now that Giannis Antetokounmpo is back in action after a long absence of more than a month due to a calf injury.

Although it is mathematically possible for the Bucks to make the play-in tournament, as at the time of writing, they are only four games behind the Atlanta Hawks in the standings, the fact that they are not in the playoff picture is a clear indication that the team is not very good right now.

There’s no denying Antetokounmpo’s greatness, but the prolonged absence of a superstar shouldn’t mean the team will collapse around him. For the Bucks, they have collapsed most of the season when Antetokounmpo is on the mend. They’ve gone 11-18 without him, and that won’t cut it.

Of course, the good news is that Antetokounmpo remains on the roster, even though he was on the trade block just a month ago and it looked like a blockbuster trade involving him would finally materialize.

It simply means that the Bucks are still on the clock, as there is not zero chance that Antetokounmpo will commit his future to the team despite his disappointing short-term to medium-term outlook.

And while they are limited in the changes they can make to the roster, perhaps the Bucks can start convincing Antetokounmpo that they mean business by cleaning house – starting with the departure of head coach Doc Rivers.

Bucks need to start fresh, move on from Doc Rivers

Despite having a 30–13 record, the Bucks made the surprise decision to fire Adrian Griffin and replace him with Doc Rivers as the team’s head coach in 2024. They finished the season under .500 under Rivers (they went 19–20) and lost in the first round of the playoffs against the eventual conference finalists Indiana Pacers.

Now, this isn’t going to turn into Griffin’s defense. By all accounts, the Bucks locker room questioned his strategy because Griffin had not maximized the team’s personnel. But reports revealed that when Griffin called his players out he took it in stride, although the fact that he did meant that his respect for them was fractured from the start.

Still, Griffin coached a terrible defense, and it was clear Antetokounmpo was growing tired of his schemes. They replaced Griffin with Rivers, who at least has the respect of people in the locker room.

This may be Rivers’ only save at this stage of his coaching career. Everyone knows the story with Rivers: He won a title with the Boston Celtics in 2008, maintains a sense of professionalism in the locker room that commands respect from everyone on the team, and he’s a consistent win producer, at least in the regular season.

Rivers has had his fair share of black eyes in the playoffs. He is the only head coach in NBA history to lead multiple 3–1 playoff series. His star-studded teams perform poorly under the bright lights of the postseason. But that’s all moot when the Bucks team he’s currently coaching couldn’t even make the start of the postseason.

Some Bucks fans may be wondering why Rivers hasn’t been fired yet. The results have not been there, and there has been nothing but disappointment in the Cream City since the team brought him in. It’s clear his voice still has influence in the locker room, and Antetokounmpo is at least there to stay with him unlike Griffin.

The Bucks’ shortcomings this season aren’t really Rivers’ fault. The team he is currently coaching is not very good anyway. But he’s not really adding wins to the team. Some of his rotation decisions recently were surprising; Why did Kyle Kuzma not play at all in their recent loss to the Boston Celtics? Why was Ryan Rollins, of all people, benched upon Antetokounmpo’s return?

It’s time for a fresh start for the Bucks under the tutelage of a well-known coach who knows how to handle a locker room with big egos. And for once, the Bucks will have to enlist the services of a new voice, an up-and-coming assistant who has paid his dues during his time in the NBA.

Why Mika Nori deserves a chance in Milwaukee?

Nouri has been an assistant coach in the NBA for 17 seasons, and he is currently part of the Minnesota Timberwolves coaching staff under head coach Chris Finch. He is the main assistant of the team, as he replaces Finch if he is out or misses time due to personal reasons or injury.

Most accounts state that Nori is adept at managing game situations, meaning his main strength is adjusting to what he sees on the court. Now, the head coaching job requires much more than mastering such skills. Still, his tactical plans could be what brings Antetokounmpo on board for at least the next few years.

If there’s one thing Antetokounmpo wants from a coach, it’s defensive consistency and communication. Nori provides both; Players have appreciated the Timberwolves assistant’s ability to build relationships with them, and he has been instrumental in crafting a Minnesota defense that routinely ranks top-10 in the NBA.

Given that the Bucks lack scoring weapons around Antetokounmpo, getting it done on defense should be priority number one for them. They are currently ranked 24th in that department, so that won’t make the cut. They have solid individual pieces on defense, Kevin Porter Jr. and Rollins are very disruptive, and Myles Turner has a long history of adequate rim protection, but it hasn’t come together under Rivers.

Now, the Bucks may need an experienced head coach to reassign Antetokounmpo. But Milwaukee needs to avoid retreading head coaches at all costs. And there may be no better candidate for the potential Bucks head coaching vacancy than Nouri.