Doc Rivers Says He Didn't Hear 76ers Fans' Boos During Return with Bucks

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers wasn't concerned with the boos he received from Philadelphia 76ers fans just before his team's 119-98 win on Sunday.

"I didn't even hear it, to be honest," Rivers said after the blowout victory. "That means I was back at home."

Prior to the contest, Rivers was unsure about the reception he would get from fans of the team that he coached from 2020 until he was fired in 2023.

"Do they give coaches big receptions?" he asked, according to ESPN's Jamal Collier.

Although the 76ers finished with an impressive 154-82 overall record under the former Coach of the Year, the team's inability to advance beyond the second round of the playoffs ultimately sealed his fate with the organization. In all three seasons with Rivers, Philadelphia was eliminated in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

This included the 76ers' 2023 second-round series against the Boston Celtics. Philadelphia held a 3-2 advantage before losing the final two games against Boston, including a lopsided 112-88 defeat in Game 7. Rivers looked back on his time with the organization fondly, although he was disappointed regarding the lack of postseason success.

"I'm happy with it overall, I just wish we could've gone further," Rivers said, per Collier.

Rivers initially appeared to be taking a break from coaching following his stint in Philadelphia, although the surprising midseason firing of former Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin presented an opportunity to return to the league. The former 76ers coach was then hired by Milwaukee on Jan. 26.

The Bucks struggled under Rivers at first, going 3-7 in his first 10 games with the team. They've improved after the All-Star break though, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday before Sunday's win over Philadelphia.

Milwaukee currently owns the No. 3 seed in the East with a record of 37-21, as the team appears poised to make the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year. However, both Rivers and the Bucks will be judged by their postseason performance.