Despite getting hired midway through the season, Doc Rivers could end up coaching the 2024 NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis.
Unlike the All-Star roster, the coaches are not voted into the NBA All-Star Game but rather given as an honor to the teams with the best record in each conference. These are typically based on the standings two weeks before the actual event.
As of right now, the Minnesota Timberwolves (Chris Finch) and the Boston Celtics (Joe Mazzulla) have the best record in their respective conferences.
Due to the Riley Rule, however, Mazzulla is ineligible to coach the Eastern Conference this season. This rule was created after Pat Riley coached the Western Conference in the All-Star Game each year except one between 1982 and 1990.
Was reminded of something this morning
All-Star coaching staffs decided by this weekend. It is whoever clinches the top record in conference by February 4.
No repeats. Boston/Denver staff will get weekend off.
Doc Rivers or Nick Nurse in East.
Daigneault/Finch/Lue in West.— Law Murray 🧽 (@LawMurrayTheNU) January 29, 2024
Instead, the nod is given to the team with the next-best record at the cutoff date on Feb. 4. That means if the standings hold, after replacing former Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin, (somehow) Rivers would get the nod.
Rivers, who coached the All-Star game in 2008 and 2011 and again in 2021, has coached just one game for Milwaukee so far this season and it was a loss against the Denver Nuggets. At this point, he has more experience coaching in NBA All-Star Games than he does coaching the Bucks.
But it is far from a guarantee that Rivers gets the honor because the standings could change after the next few days. Milwaukee is on the road for three games (Trail Blazers, Mavericks, Jazz) between now and the cutoff date. If they do not play well, something especially bizarre could happen.
Philadelphia’s Nick Nurse, who replaced Rivers as head coach of the 76ers this past offseason and coached the NBA All-Star Game in 2020, could get the call instead.
The Sixers still have two road games (Warriors, Jazz) and one home game (Nets) before the Feb. 4 deadline. Philly is currently two games behind Milwaukee in the standings and could catch the Bucks.
Two other Eastern Conference All-Star Game head coaching candidates include New York’s Tom Thibodeau (for the first time since 2012) and Cleveland’s J.B. Bickerstaff (as a first-time honor).
The Knicks will host three home games (Jazz, Pacers, Lakers) while the Cavaliers have a home game (Pistons) and two road games (Grizzlies, Spurs) remaining.
In the West, meanwhile, either Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault or L.A. Clippers head coach Ty Lue could potentially surpass Minnesota’s Finch.
Curiously enough, Lue coached in the 2016 NBA All-Star Game under similar circumstances in which Rivers could get asked this season. He took over after Cleveland fired David Blatt even though the Cavaliers (30-11) had the best record in the East.
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