Doc Rivers Criticizes Bucks’ Effort After 45-Point Loss to Nets
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Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers delivered a blunt assessment of his roster after a 129-84 defeat to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, a 45-point setback that he described as one of the most disappointing games of his career.
“That was disappointing, probably one of the more disappointing games I’ve ever been involved in with the way we performed and competed,” Rivers told reporters, according to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm. “We wanted to blame everybody but ourselves. We’re blaming the refs. We’re looking at each other. No one wanted to play hard. We’ve got a lot of soul-searching to do.”
The loss arrived only days after Milwaukee beat the Boston Celtics and spoke publicly about building momentum. Instead, Sunday’s performance dropped the Bucks to 11-16 and left them clinging to the Eastern Conference’s final play-in position.
Rivers suggested the team’s problems extend beyond schemes and execution, pointing to lapses in effort and accountability on a veteran roster expected to contend in the postseason. With the schedule tightening, he emphasized that any turnaround must come from within the locker room.
Whether Milwaukee can respond to its coach’s challenge remains uncertain as the club enters a critical stretch of games with little margin for error.
Source: Hoops Wire