Bucks News: Doc Rivers Makes Wildly Optimistic Prediction on Postseason

Despite a 1-6 start, Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers has an optimistic prediction for the team.

Apr 12, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers reacts as he watches his team play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the fourth quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks are off to an awful start this season. After a six game losing streak, the Bucks have a 1-6 win-loss record, the worst in the Eastern Conference.

According to Eric Nehm of The Athletic, 150 teams have started an NBA season with a 1-6 record or worse since 1979. Of those teams, a dozen of them have made the playoffs. That's eight percent.

According to head coach Doc Rivers, this Milwaukee team is one of the eight percent.

“We will make the playoffs,” Rivers told reporters, per Sam Amico of Hoops Wire. “I’m not worried about that.”

Essentially, Rivers believes that the team is just going through a slump and this is the perfect time to do so.

“The team’s very positive,” Rivers said. “I think they’re upbeat. No one wants to lose. We have some tough games coming up, but one win at a time."

"We win three or four in a row and then the numbers say if you’re 5-6 after that, you have an 80 percent chance to make the playoffs, you know? So that’s where numbers are so silly sometimes, especially early in the year. And we don’t pay much attention to them.”

The Bucks have been dealing with multiple issues recently, the most notable of which is the absence of star players Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton.

Middleton has been out since the offseason recovering from surgery on both ankles. While he has participated in limited practice, it doesn't look like he'll be ready to come back any time soon.

Last season, Middleton, who is a three-time NBA All-Star, averaged 15.2 points, 5.3 assists, 4.7 total rebounds, and 0.9 steals per game across 55 games. His sharpshooting has been greatly missed.

Antetokounmpo's injury is more recent, having missed Milwaukee's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, a narrow 116-114 loss.

So far this season, Antetokounmpo has averaged 31 points, 12.3 total rebounds, and 6.3 assists. Needless to say, the two-time MVP's presence is a must.

While a six-game losing streak is hard, and a majority of the games were lost by double digits, Rivers isn't necessarily wrong about having hope. In both of their games against the Cavaliers, the Bucks only lost by a single score.

Milwaukee is a team brimming with talent. If there is one roster that could be that eight percent that surges after a 1-6 start, it's this one.

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