SPORTS LINE
The Milwaukee Bucks.
Doc Rivers has been an NBA head coach for five teams across 27 seasons. It looks like his coaching career has come to an end after a disastrous last season with the Bucks. If it is indeed the end of his career, it was a bumpy way out. Rivers seemed done coaching after getting fired by the Sixers in 2023, taking a color commentary job with ESPN the following season. However, the Bucks fired rookie head coach Adrian Griffin and coaxed Rivers out of the broadcasting booth.
What’s next for the Bucks? For the first time since 2018, GM Jon Horst is leading a real search, since the last two hires were guaranteed for the Bucks. Adrian Griffin was widely reported to be the preferred candidate of Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Rivers was the only one considered when the team fired Griffin. Former head coaches and Bucks assistants Taylor Jenkins and Darvin Ham have been linked to the opening, but Horst is expected to cast a wide net. Horst is facing the challenge of selling the job to potential hires without knowing what his roster could look like next season. Above all else, Ham is someone players love.
Over the years, Bucks players have spoken incredibly highly of him at every turn. Bobby Portis went as far as to say that Ham leaving the team to coach the Los Angeles Lakers in 2022 hurt them more than people realized following Milwaukee’s playoff loss to the eighth-seeded Miami Heat. Ham is a motivator. He’s the type of coach who can fire up his guys without telling them how important he is or to check out his resume.
For a Milwaukee Bucks team that typically felt disconnected from Adrian Griffin and Doc Rivers, the next head man needs that guiding voice. It’s in Ham’s nature to be that type of figure, especially when leading a group of players he has familiarity with. More options could be on the market in the coming weeks, depending on how their team’s fare in the postseason. The Bucks have no reason to rush this.
The Milwaukee Brewers.
The Milwaukee Brewers recently suffered through a six-game losing streak but have found their confidence and are just a half-game out of first place in the National League Central. Often, teams win with power and home runs. That is how a lot of teams score runs and set themselves apart from the rest of the pack. However, due to some injuries, the Brewers have had to get creative on the basepaths, and Adam McCalvy, of MLB.com, notes that their ability to run the bases is what is leading to them having more success. The Milwaukee Brewers have established themselves as one of the most aggressive and efficient baserunning teams in Major League Baseball, utilizing speed and high-IQ play to compensate for a lack of traditional power and secure wins.
As of April 2026, stolen bases have become the team’s “biggest weapon” and a key factor in their early-season success. The 2024 team stole 217 bases, and in early 2026, the team continued to show aggressive, record-setting stolen base numbers during their opening homestand. Fangraphs recently ranked the Brewers as top-tier in base running, noting their ability to take extra bases (1st-to-3rd, 1st-to-home) at a high rate. Brice Turang is a standout, having secured 50 bags in 2024, along with contributions from players like Sal Frelick and Blake Perkins.
Under manager Pat Murphy, the team emphasizes “calculated risks,” including the frequent and often successful attempt to steal third base with two outs. It may seem obvious, but stolen bases and the ability to run are extremely underrated parts of the game. Even with some of their best hitters available, the Brewers didn’t rely solely on the home run ball last season. Instead, they got creative with their baserunning and found other ways to win.
