The Milwaukee Bucks entered their matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday facing significant uncertainty.
Already without superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, the team were forced to prepare to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder without head coach Doc Rivers on the sideline.
Just hours before tipoff, reports confirmed that Rivers would miss the contest due to personal reasons as he attended a funeral.
In his absence, the Bucks elevated lead assistant Darvin Ham to serve as interim head coach for the evening.
Milwaukee win for Rivers
While it was an unexpected opportunity to steer the Bucks in a high-stakes environment, Ham will surely have relished the chance to take the reins once again.
Ham was tasked with guiding Milwaukee against one of the league’s top teams, even though the Thunder were shorthanded.
Both teams were missing their superstars. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who poured in 40 points in their late January meeting, was sidelined for his fifth consecutive game due to an abdominal strain. Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo was out for his ninth straight contest with a calf strain.
Despite losing Rivers, Milwaukee registered a comfortable 110-93 victory over the Thunder, with seven players returning double figures for points.
With playoff positioning tightening and both teams demonstrating depth beyond their stars, the game was a tough contest for Ham, and he passed with flying colors.
For Milwaukee fans, Ham is a familiar and respected presence. He previously served as an assistant coach with the Bucks from 2018 to 2022, playing a key role in the franchise’s 2021 NBA championship run.
Ham’s significant experience at the top of NBA
His return to the bench came after rejoining the organization during the 2024 offseason, when Rivers restructured his coaching staff following his own midseason hiring in 2023-24.
Notably, Ham is the only member of the current Bucks staff with prior NBA head coaching experience. He previously led the Los Angeles Lakers, guiding the team to a berth in the Western Conference Finals.
Before that, Ham built a strong résumé as an assistant with the Lakers from 2011 to 2013 and the Atlanta Hawks from 2013 to 2018, reaching the Conference Finals four times across his coaching career.
Role players and recent roster changes have been central to that resilience. Ousmane Dieng, who returned to OKC after being traded at the deadline, delivered a season-high 17 points in his second game for Milwaukee.
He was complemented by Cam Thomas, who erupted for 34 points off the bench and earned praise from Rivers prior to his absence.
On the other side, the Thunder have effectively integrated sophomore guard Jared McCain into their rotation while navigating injuries to key contributors.
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