Ex-76ers Coach Takes Blame for Milwaukee Bucks’ Early Struggles

Doc Rivers opens up on the Bucks' struggles.

Oct 23, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers talks with forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks are running into some early issues at the start of the 2024-2025 NBA season. While the team started the year off on the right note with a victory over an undermanned Philadelphia 76ers team, Doc Rivers’ squad has been sliding ever since.

Who’s to blame for the issues? The former Sixers head coach takes accountability.

“That’s on me,” Rivers told reporters following Milwaukee’s recent loss regarding the team’s transition defense. “Everything’s on me until we get it right. We got to fix this.”

“The defensive transition was still awful tonight and so that’s on me. Everything is on me until we get it right. We gotta fix this.”

-- Doc Rivers pic.twitter.com/xDolramqmU

— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) November 1, 2024

Since the Bucks won the NBA Finals in 2021, they’ve been viewed as contenders entering each season. With Giannis Antetokounmpo being one of the most dominant players in the game, Milwaukee has been attempting to re-create that 2021 magic by surrounding the former MVP with notable complementary pieces.

Unfortunately for the Bucks, nothing has worked so far.

Last season, Milwaukee went into the year with former Toronto Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin as the head coach. They found early success in the Eastern Conference standings, but the organization shockingly moved on from Griffin midway through the year and replaced him with Rivers, who was fired by Philadelphia less than a year ago at that point.

Since Rivers took over, the Bucks have lost more than they’ve won. Now, Rivers and the rest of the roster are searching for answers as times are getting super tough in Milwaukee.

Oct 23, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers reacts during the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

When Will the Sixers See the Bucks for a Rematch?

The Damian Lillard-Giannis Antetokounmpo combination was working well against a Sixers team that missed Paul George and Joel Embiid last week. The Sixers hope to have one or both of their All-Stars back in the mix for the next time they face Rivers and the Bucks.

It’s going to be a while before the Sixers make their way to Wisconsin. The next matchup falls on January 19. After that, the Sixers will pay a visit to the Bucks for an afternoon matchup on February 9. Then, on April 3, Rivers and the Bucks will return to the Wells Fargo Center for the fourth and final matchup of the regular-season series.

Lately, battles against the Sixers have offered the Bucks a boost. After splitting the regular season series in 2022-2023, the Bucks swept the Sixers in three games last year. Two of those Philadelphia losses came after Rivers took over as the coach.

Currently, the Bucks have a five-game win streak over the Sixers, but they both carry the same record at the moment. The Sixers believe the return of Embiid, along with the debut of George, will be a recipe for wiping away their early struggles. Rivers, on the other hand, is searching for answers still in Milwaukee.