The Milwaukee Bucks will look to win their third game in a row when they take on the Phoenix Suns (and their former head coach, Mike Budenholzer) on Monday night. At 40-30, the Bucks are currently the fifth seed in the NBA Eastern Conference, and just one game behind the Indiana Pacers for fourth. However, they are also just a single game ahead of the Detroit Pistons, who currently own the sixth seed.
Mar 16, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers looks on in the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Not only would a win against the Suns on Monday night give Milwaukee its third win in a row and keep them afloat in a tight seeding race in the East, it would also tie head coach Doc Rivers with the legendary Phil Jackson for seventh on the all-time wins list.
Ahead of the matchup, Rivers sat down with Andscape for an interview about his coaching career, and one comment he made during said interview has caused quite the stir on social media.
Nov 22, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers reacts in the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu
One of the biggest concerns Bucks fans had when Rivers was first hired was his previous teams’ tendency to blow large series leads in the NBA Playoffs. Since he started coaching in 1999, his teams have blown 3-1 series leads three different times.
And while most would find that concerning, Rivers does not think he gets enough credit for getting those three wins at all. He told Andscape:
“No one tells a real story. And I’m fine with that. It’s unfair in some ways. I don’t get enough credit for getting the three wins. I get credit for losing. I always say, ‘What if we had lost to Houston in six?’ No one cares. One of the things that I’m proud of is we’ve never been swept. All the coaches have been swept in the playoffs. My teams achieve. A lot of them overachieve and I’m very proud of that.”
Rivers blamed the Los Angeles Clippers’ collapse after leading a postseason series 3-1 on the fact that his star point guard, Chris Paul, was injured. He said that his Clippers team in 2020 (in the NBA Bubble) was filled was “guys that didn’t want to be there.”
Apr 10, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers reacts in the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu
The lack of accountability from Rivers in his answer did not sit well with basketball fans, and they made their feelings known on social media:
Hopefully Milwaukee does not blow any 3-1 series leads with Rivers as their head coach. The excuse-making that would follow may cause some bleeding ears.
