If you’re feeling frustrated at work, just be glad you’re not in Doc Rivers' shoes right now. The Milwaukee Bucks coach is likely having a rough day after his team took a tough 128-96 loss to the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center. At one point, the Bucks found themselves trailing by a staggering 37 points.
The game started off on a rocky note for Milwaukee, as they were outscored 30-19 in the first quarter. Things only got worse from there, dropping them to a 28-41 record in what’s shaping up to be a challenging season.
Rivers didn't hold back in his post-game comments, candidly sharing his thoughts on the team’s lackluster performance. “We played awful. Didn't play with any competitive spirit tonight,” he stated.
The stats tell the story: the Bucks shot just 41% from the field and were outrebounded 47-35. They also gave up 28 points off turnovers, a clear indication of their struggles.
“When you can't beat a team that’s not even trying to win, there’s a big problem,” Rivers remarked. He pointed to the starting lineup’s approach, saying, “I thought the first group set the tone.
Everyone was trying to score on their own. It’s ironic because we had a great shootaround with lots of ball movement.
But when it came to the game, that didn’t happen.”
Rivers added, “The first six possessions, the guy supposed to move to the second action kept it. Ultimately, it’s on me to make sure they play the right way.”
The Bucks were also missing their star, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who sat out for injury management. There’s been talk about shutting him down for the season, but the two-time MVP isn’t on board with that plan.
In Giannis’ absence, Ryan Rollins stepped up, leading the team with 15 points, three rebounds, and five assists. Cam Thomas contributed 14 points, two rebounds, and four assists off the bench.
This game is a wake-up call for the Bucks, and they’ll need to regroup quickly to turn things around.