The Milwaukee Bucks have been one of the most underwhelming teams in the NBA over the past few years and now the franchise will be looking for a new coach.
Scott Skiles was fired as head coach of the Bucks on Tuesday and the team said that veteran assistant Jim Boylan will take over for the rest of the season. General manager John Hammond announced the news on Tuesday and decided that this was the best direction for the franchise at the present time.
"Scott and I met yesterday after practice and after some honest discussion, we both came to the conclusion that it was best to part ways," Hammond said according to the Associated Press. "It is never an easy decision to make, but in the end a decision we felt was best for both parties."
During his four-plus seasons with the Bucks, Skiles went just 162-182 with only one playoff appearance. Skiles was known as a defensive coach that pushed his players hard, but could never get a consistent performance from the team over the course of a full season.
"John and I met and mutually agreed that a coaching change would be in the best interest of both parties," Skiles said. "I believe this team can and will have success in the next 50 games and postseason. I want to thank the players for all of their hard work. I wish them all the best."
Hammond spoke about the relationship with Skiles and said that there were no issues in the locker room or with the coach and his players.
"Scott and I did not have a frosty relationship. Scott did not hate this team," said Hammond, who noted that more than half the season remains. "We're not a team in dire straits ... we're expecting good things to happen.
Skiles is the third head coach to be fired during the season this year, joining the Lakers' Mike Brown and Brooklyn's Avery Johnson. Brown was fired after just five games following a 1-4 start, while Johnson was let go in December just three weeks after being named Eastern Conference coach of the month.
Skiles' best run with the team came in 2009-10, when the Bucks went 46-36 and finished second in the Central Division. The team lost in the first round to the Atlanta Hawks in seven games. That same season, Hammond was named Executive of the Year by the NBA.
The Bucks have tried to build around young stars Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis, but this season has been a struggle. The team has gone just 16-16 this season and is ranked 18th in the NBA in points per game. Skiles was never able to turn the Bucks into a strong defensive force and the team has lost four straight, including a 95-80 loss to Indiana on Saturday.
"The real challenge is we've had a couple of years in a row where ... we didn't buy into our defensive system," Skiles said before the season began, according to the Associated Press. "If we do that, we'll be a good defensive team. If we don't, we won't. That's the real challenge, getting guys to buy in on that on the floor, give the effort, focus and concentrate as necessary to be a good defensive team."
The Bucks opened the season with a surprising 6-2 record, but soon fell off after losing seven of the next nine games, including a 113-106 overtime loss to the Miami Heat. Both Jennings and Ellis have struggled on the defensive side of the ball, while Skiles has been able to turn Larry Sanders into a solid interior presence, grabbing 20 rebounds against Boston on Dec. 21 before recording double digit rebounds in five of the last eight games.
Ellis is leading the team in scoring with 19.4 points per game, while Jennings has been the best playmaker, adding 5.8 assists and 2.2 steals per game. Ellis has scored in double digits for eight straight games, but failed to reach 20 in two of his last three. Jennings put up two double-doubles to start the season, but hasn't had one since. He has played much better over the past 10 games, scoring 19.7 points per game and making over 42 percent of his shots.
The 57-year-old Boylan has served as an assistant coach to Skiles since 2008 and will take over for the rest of the season. He also was interim head coach of the Chicago Bulls for the final 56 games of the 2007-08 season, finishing 24-32. Boylan has extensive experience in the NBA, working as an assistant in Cleveland, Vancouver, Phoenix, Atlanta and Chicago.
Skiles has coached in the NBA for 12 seasons and has posted a 443-433record while coaching the Chicago Bulls and the Phoenix Suns. The Bucks have the chance to rebuild after this season, considering that Hammond is in the final year of his contract and both Jennings and Ellis have the options to become restricted free agents after this year.
The Bucks remain just three games behind Indiana in the Central Division after the loss on Saturday and are currently in the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
