With the pressure of delivering a championship looming, the Bucks’ 2-8 start to the season needed Doc Rivers to be more alive than ever. While he seldom is vocal, this campaign has required him to be in constant communication with the team. The results, although took time have begun to show. Milwaukee has won eight of their last ten. However, Rivers’ constant yelling has led to some medical troubles.

It dates back 13 years. While coaching the Boston Celtics, Rivers went through surgery to his vocal cord. “They found a polyp” he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. At the time, the doctors needed to assess whether it was cancerous. Fortunately, the tests came back negative, but still from that moment he had to walk on thin ice.

“They had to do surgery on my vocal cord, which is for a coach very dangerous, because one bad move … you have no voice. Our players would love that,” the renowned head coach revealed. Doc Rivers has managed to be careful since then. However, the dramatic NBA Cup game against the Orlando Magic saw him exert excessive force on his throat.

And because he was mic’ed up, his doctors identified the need to do an examination. “He actually called me said he heard something, so we’ll get it checked out. Maybe I was yelling too much – may be the message in there,” the 2008 NBA champion told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

However, the intensity is only up from the Magic game now. The Bucks are in Las Vegas, preparing to face the Atlanta Hawks in the semifinals of the NBA Cup. After going out in the same stage last season, there is vengeance on their mind. Yet, Rivers think they have a disadvantage despite their hot run of form.

Rivers feels the Milwaukee Bucks are old?

The foundational star of the Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo has become a loveable personality due to his unapologetic humor. It’s often on display during media day and after games. His thoughts on Las Vegas came with a warning. Antetokounmpo will stay away from the compelling allure of casinos.

“I don’t gamble because I believe I have a competition problem. So I try to stay away from gambling because whatever I do, I do 100%. I don’t drink, I don’t gamble I don’t do none of that because I know if I got myself into that, it’s going to be hard for me to get out of it,” said the two-time MVP.

His focus is directed instead toward unleashing all his energy toward the clash against the Hawks. But will he have the energy? Surprisingly, in that regard, Rivers had a few jokes of his own. While comparing his squad with the other three teams, he felt they were ‘old’.

“We’re gonna bring our wheelchairs to the cup because we have these three young teams. You know Atlanta’s young, Oklahoma’s young, Houston’s young. Then here comes the old Milwaukee Bucks wheeling in. That’s who we’re gonna be,” he sarcastically told the media ahead of the NBA Cup semifinals.

Though not entirely true, the Bucks are indeed the oldest squad of the four. That could serve as an advantage. Having seasoned competitors such as Damian Lillard and Antetokounmpo, this could be an early test of their postseason energy. Moreover, with it being against the Hawks, a team they haven’t won against this season, the challenge is greater than it seems.

In the NBA Cup this season, Doc Rivers has led the Milwaukee Bucks to an undefeated campaign. In order to win, that has now become a requirement. Do you think Milwaukee has what it takes? Let us know your views in the comments below.