SUMMARY
- The Milwaukee Bucks have lost four games in a row recently.
- Doc Rivers has brought them to a 15-17 record since assuming his position as head coach.
The Milwaukee Bucks are in trouble and a lot of people believe that they will not survive the postseason. This team has witnessed multiple major changes since the off-season and their current situation was expected in a way. Putting two ball-dominant players together wasn’t necessarily a mistake, but it was a move the Bucks needed to work with carefully. Fast forwarding to the start of the season, the Bucks seemed fairly decent.
Milwaukee settled at the second seed very quickly under the guidance of Adrian Griffin. Giannis Antetokounmpo was averaging just over 30 points per game while Damian Lillard put up nearly 27 points per game. Everything seemed to be treading in the right direction offensively, but the Bucks’ defense experienced a big blow. Injuries also played a major part in their downfall on the defensive end.
The Bucks have not played up to par on defense
After the Bucks lost four straight games recently, people have begun to wonder, why they suffer despite having one of the best rosters. Earlier in January, the Bucks were 29th in steals per 100 possessions averaging 6.3. In games they’ve won, they’ve averaged just under six steals while putting up 7.1 steals per 100 possessions in losses. In other words, they excel defensively during crucial times.
This unfortunate stat would also bring down their chances of maintaining a high points differential. And the closer the chase is, the lower the Bucks’ chances of closing out a game. For example, they lost to the LA Lakers despite having sizeable leads. One of their losses against the Lakers took place in double OT despite being ahead by 19 points during regulation.
The Bucks could suffer immensely if they continue playing lazy defense while they’re in the lead. Unfortunately, giving up leads won’t work in their favor too much since they have barely functioned well on offense within the paint. The Bucks rank 24th in the league in points scored within the paint. Brook Lopez’s productivity in scoring had reduced which is another setback in that area. Milwaukee needs to add pressure throughout the game and their bigs to make more offensive plays within the arc.
The Bucks should’ve let Adrian Griffin run the course for the 2023-24 season
Considering that Adrian Griffin managed to bring the Bucks to a 30-13 record before getting sacked from his job, they were on a better course back than they are right now. Since hiring Doc Rivers, the Bucks have gone 15-17, which isn’t a pretty stat line to carry around while being a second-seeded team in the Eastern Conference.
Unlike Rivers, Griffin had more time to understand his players during the off-season. Though they weren’t the best on defense even during his tenure, Griffin brought the best out of Antetokounmpo and Lillard’s scoring abilities while utilizing players off the ball to help them get good looks. Defense may not have been his top priority but the winning numbers were certainly there.
The Bucks are 15-17 with multiple leads blown during the Doc Rivers era. They were 30-13 with Adrian Griffin😂🔥💯
pic.twitter.com/V27o4Inxot— Aidan LaPorta (@AidanLaPorta69) April 8, 2024
Rivers was thrown into the lion’s den when he was hired. He was barely given any time to study his players as the Bucks wanted him on the job immediately. We’ve seen head coaches get fired midway through the season before, but it’s always the assistant coach who gets hired as the interim. The Bucks should have given the role to Josh Oppenheimer or Vin Baker. They would have had a better understanding of the team’s strengths and weaknesses.