Doc Rivers - NBA All-Star Eastern Conference Team Coach

Inside the locker room after Doc's first dub!#FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/9N4fWtH0E3

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) February 4, 2024

Doc Rivers, who won his first game as coach of the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night, will coach the Eastern Conference team in the NBA All-Star Game, an honor bestowed upon him thanks to what he called “one of those quirky things.” https://t.co/Fo6OlTYuWx

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 4, 2024

From Reuters:

Doc Rivers, who has coached three games with the Milwaukee Bucks, will coach the Eastern Conference in the All-Star Game later this month.

The honor goes to the coach of the winningest team in each conference, however Joe Mazzulla of the Eastern-leading Boston Celtics was not eligible because he coached last year. The Bucks clinched the second-best record in the conference after beating the Dallas Mavericks 129-117 on Saturday for Rivers' first win with the Bucks.

From ESPN:

It's not a distinction that Rivers, who is 1-2 since being hired by Milwaukee on Jan. 26, claims he earned. He intends to give his All-Star ring and bonus to Adrian Griffin, who went 30-13 as the Bucks coach before being fired and replaced by Rivers. Milwaukee went 2-1 during Joe Prunty's interim stint.

"That is ridiculously bad. It really is," Rivers said of getting the All-Star nod after one win. "Well, Adrian's going to get some money, that's for sure. And a ring. It's one of these quirky things. I think there should be a rule somehow that someone else does it other than me."

Saturday's triumph ensured that the 33-16 Bucks would have the East's best record through Feb. 4 among teams with coaches eligible for the All-Star duties. The Boston Celtics have the East's best record at 37-12, but Joe Mazzulla coached in the All-Star Game last year, making him ineligible this season.

It is quirky.