The Milwaukee Bucks shocked the NBA when they terminated head coach Adrian Griffin in January, despite boasting a 30-13 record at the time. The team brought in Doc Rivers with hopes of raising the bar, but unfortunately, all Rivers has achieved is a string of basketball defeats.
Since Rivers took the helm, the Bucks’ performance has been on a downward trajectory, and following their loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night, things have officially spiraled out of control.
The Grizzlies were missing key players Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr., and most casual fans would struggle to recognize a single player in Memphis’ starting lineup. Yet, against all odds, they managed to defeat a fully equipped Bucks team with a score of 113-110.
Instead of taking responsibility for the team’s poor performance as head coach, Rivers deflected blame onto his players. “On our first play of the game, we made a risky move for the 50th time in the corner. The opponent drove, and we had to help, resulting in a three-pointer,” lamented Rivers. “During our set, two players forgot our game plan. Then, we missed a shot, and no one bothered to get back on defense. That’s how we started the third quarter. It speaks volumes about our mindset.”
“We had some players here, and we had some players in Cabo.”
Thursday’s game marked the Bucks’ final match before the All-Star break, and Rivers made it evident that he believed his players were already mentally checked out, subtly throwing them under the bus.
While it is reasonable to expect some time for the Bucks to adjust under Rivers’ leadership, ten games should be sufficient to start finding their groove. It is undeniable that the current state of affairs in Milwaukee is far from ideal. There is no justification for the Bucks to lose against a Grizzlies team comprised of players on short-term contracts and developmental deals.
Mark covers a wide range of sports, with a keen focus on the world of golf. He holds a journalism and online media master’s degree from the University of Tennessee, but ultimately, it is up to you to judge his expertise. When he is not working, there is a high probability that you will find him on the golf course.
According to the Source outkick.com