Doc Rivers took over the Milwaukee Bucks halfway through the season last year. This season, the team came in with high hopes. Rivers has the coaching pedigree, and the roster is still one of the best on paper behind superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. The first month has been a disaster. Milwaukee sits at 4-9 with many of their wins coming against the bottom feeders of the NBA. On Saturday, the Bucks dropped another one to an inferior opponent. The Charlotte Hornets were able to take a one-point lead with seven seconds left, but the Bucks missed their final shot. Many of the Hornet’s points came from the free-throw line, something Rivers had an issue with.
Milwaukee Bucks Doc Rivers Slams Refs
Doc Rivers was not happy about the call that put LaMelo Ball on the line with seven seconds left. As the shot clock was winding down, the former third-overall pick found himself being defended by Giannis. The former MVP played solid defense, and Ball lost his dribble, leading to a turnover. However, the refs saw it differently. They called a foul on Giannis, and Ball sunk both free throws to take a 115-114 lead. Rivers was not happy about the call and thought the officials blew the game.
“I thought the final play was the ref blowing the call,” the head coach said in his postgame press conference. It is always sad when the officiating becomes the conversation after a game. Giannis was brilliant yet again, notching his first triple-double of the season with 22 points, 12 assists, and 15 rebounds. Bobby Portis also had a strong game with 21 points and seven rebounds. They have been shorthanded his past week while Damian Lillard recovers from a concussion. Players have stepped up, but this hasn’t led to more winning.
Silver Linings
There are some silver linings for the Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis is playing out of his mind to start the season. He is averaging 33.3 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists this season. The superstar dropped 59 points in a game versus Detroit this past week. Overall, the team has looked better. Early in the season, they looked listless on both ends of the floor. However, Doc Rivers has inserted some young players into the lineup, and they have provided a spark. Andre Jackson Jr. has played well on both ends of the floor, and Ryan Rollins has filled in well for Lillard.
The other silver lining for the Milwaukee Bucks is the slow start the rest of the Eastern Conference has gotten off to. While the Bucks sit in 12th place right now, they are only 3.5 games back from third place. If Doc Rivers can continue to push the right buttons and players can get healthy, this team could shoot up the standings with a small winning streak.
Is Rivers On The Hot Seat?
In the first month of the season, many Milwaukee Bucks fans have called for Doc Rivers to be fired. They thought this team would be among the best in the Eastern Conference, but instead, they are struggling to string together wins. While I understand the frustration of fans, it is still early in the season. The team is playing better, and there are over 60 games left to play. Milwaukee has reduced its margin for error but still has the talent to compete with the best in the East. The two losses against the Cleveland Cavaliers came down to the wire, with one loss coming on a shot by Donovan Mitchell with 0.7 seconds left.
There is no reason to completely punt on this season right now. While Doc Rivers has his faults, he is still one of the better coaches in the NBA and seems to connect well with this team. The team is fighting for him, a sign they are behind their head coach. However, they need to start showing results. If the Bucks continue to lose to teams like the Hornets, the calls for a change at head coach will only get louder.
