Doc Rivers, Joe Barry’s Successor, and Greg Gard’s Deep Bench

In this week's episode of The Wisconsin Sportscast, Mike Lucas and Tom Oates aren’t surprised by the midseason hiring of Doc Rivers to coach the Milwaukee Bucks. Rivers, an NBA veteran, takes over after the Bucks fired first-time head coach Adrian Griffin after just 43 games. 

“When the players lose respect for the coach and tune him out, you just have to go a different direction or you’re going to have to change your whole team,” says Oates, the former Wisconsin State Journal sports columnist. “It was pretty clear the Bucks’ defense wasn’t getting any better.” 

“They’ve been just awful on the defensive end,” says Lucas, a Cap Times sports freelance writer and former radio color analyst for the Badgers. “But back to Doc Rivers, people just like him. Players like him. Coaches like him. The media likes him.” 

Oates says, “The beauty of the Doc Rivers hire is I think the players will be pulling in the same direction. If nothing else, I think you’ll see an immediate transformation there.” 

The veteran journalists also discuss the Green Bay Packers’ search for a new defensive coordinator.

“I just want someone who is aggressive,” says Oates, who adds experience would be a plus, too. “Because there is no breaking-in period. The Packers showed, in the second half of this season, they are ready to win.” 

Finally on the podcast, Lucas and Oates preview the Wisconsin men’s basketball upcoming games against Nebraska and Purdue. 

“(Point guard) Chucky Hepburn has really changed his game,” says Lucas. “He’s tailored his strengths to what the team needs.” 

“We’re getting scoring from Max Klesmit, AJ Storr, John Blackwell, and Steven Crowell. That’s the story of this team,” says Oates. “The guy that’s orchestrating all that is Chucky Hepburn…. He’s running the show.”

The Wisconsin Sportscast is a Cap Times podcast produced by Dylan Brogan. Find The Wisconsin Sportscast with Lucas & Oates on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

A weekly podcast with insights and analysis on the Wisconsin Badgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Bucks from two of Wisconsin’s most experienced sports journalists. Mike Lucas is a veteran sports columnist for the Cap Times and was a Badgers radio color commentator for over 25 years. Tom Oates was a sports reporter and columnist for the Wisconsin State Journal for 40 years.