Doc Rivers attempts to distance himself from Bucks' poor play with latest comments

Doc Rivers

Things haven’t gone well for the Milwaukee Bucks since deciding to change course at head coach mid-season. However, the man brought in to replace Adrian Griffin and save a sinking ship, Doc Rivers, wants everyone to know that the team’s struggles aren’t his fault.

Rivers recently revealed to Yaron Weitzman of Fox Sports that he’d initially requested to begin his stint as the Bucks’ head coach during the All-Star break in hopes of a “nicer” transition, but the team insisted he start immediately.

“The organization felt strongly that a change needed to be made defensively and things like that, and that’s what we’re doing,” Rivers said. “The problem is, while you’re doing that, you’re in the middle of the season on the toughest trip.”

The first five games of Rivers’ tenure came on the road, including matchups against two top-five teams from the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns. The Bucks went only 1-4 during that stretch.

Rivers mentioned that he came aboard early to improve the team’s defense, and he’s done that, as Weitzman pointed out. In 10 games with him at the helm, the Bucks are allowing three points fewer per 100 possessions (113.6) this season compared to the 43 games with Griffin running the show (116.8).

However, despite defensive improvements, the results simply haven’t been there, as the Bucks are only 3-7 since he took over. Furthermore, his team might already be tuning out.

Leading up to the All-Star break, the Bucks have looked like two different teams. Only days after defeating the defending NBA Champion Denver Nuggets in an impressive home victory, the Bucks showed a lackluster effort in consecutive losses to the Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies.

Following the loss to Memphis, Rivers criticized his team’s play but chalked it up to players checking out ahead of the week-long vacation. However, others like Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal believe it’s a sign of pending doom for a team that began the year with aspirations of winning another Larry O’Brien Trophy.

O’Neal recently predicted that the Bucks will ultimately suffer an early exit from the playoffs.

“It’s a championship team on paper, but they’re nowhere near a championship,” O’Neal said. “The way they’re playing right now, they’re gonna get swept in the first round.”

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