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Doc Rivers finalizing deal to be Bucks' coach, sources say

Related Topics: Doc Rivers, Milwaukee Bucks

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After a brief courtship, Doc Rivers has agreed on a deal to become the next coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.

Rivers, an ESPN NBA analyst who most recently led the Philadelphia 76ers to three consecutive trips to the Eastern Conference semifinals, emerged as the top target immediately after the dismissal of Adrian Griffin. The sides negotiated deep into Tuesday night and Wednesday morning before reaching agreement on a deal, sources said.

Despite the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, the Bucks fired Griffin only 43 games into his head-coaching career, largely because the organization came to believe they could find an upgrade on the young coach that gave them a better chance to compete for a championship, sources said.