Milwaukee Bucks Ditch Interim Coach Jim Boylan

Milwaukee Bucks interim head coach Jim Boylan may have taken the Bucks to the NBA playoffs, but that wasn’t enough to secure him the team’s permanent coaching title after the Bucks lost 12 of their last 16 games. The Bucks finished with its third straight losing season and eight in nine years. The Bucks were swept by LeBron James and the Miami Heat. Boylan couldn’t handle the Heat, who won all four games with double digit victories.

According to Bucks general manager John Hammond, “At this time we feel it’s in the best interest of the organization to seek a new coach to lead our team.”

The Bucks will “immediately” begin the process of scouting and hiring a new head coach.

Among available coach hiring options at this time are Stan Van Gundy, Byron Scott, and Kelvin Sampson. Also a possibility is emerging Golden State assistant Mike Malone.

Boylan took over the Bucks on January 8 after head coach Scott Skiles departed. The Milwaukee Bucks appeared to be headed in the right direction under Boylan’s leadership. The Bucks won eight of their first 11 games and were eventually a season best five games above .500.

The Bucks would go on to drop six of the next seven games.

Speaking of his team’s quick success and then drastic failure, forward/guard Mike Dunleavy said:

“It was just funky. A lot of times, after you make a change, you get off to a hot start. Guys are more engaged for a few weeks and you win some games and go on a nice little streak. And then, after a little bit of time, reality sets in and unless you’re going to come and work and get better every day, what we just did was fool’s gold. It just didn’t stick.”

Dunleavy added:

“I’ve got no issue about getting swept by the Heat, they’re a great team. The issue is having to face the Heat. We basically dog-trotted down the stretch from March and April. We should have just never been in the position to have to play the No. 1 seed. Shame on us. That’s the disappointing part to the whole season.”

Boylan finished the NBA season with a final 22-32 record that included his teams four straight losses in round one of the NBA playoffs.

Do you think ditching Jim Boylan was the right decision for the Milwaukee Bucks?