The Milwaukee Bucks appointed Doc Rivers as their new Head Coach after the unexpected firing of Adrian Griffin. However, Rivers hasn’t been putting up the best case for himself. The Bucks were struggling on the defensive end even before Rivers came on board. So, it was expected that the new HC would focus on improving the team’s defense. However, he has been prioritizing the offense instead, something the team was already handling well.
This uncertainty coupled with his record with the team has led many to doubt his capabilities. Rivers’ debut game as HC of the Bucks was on 29 January against the Nuggets, resulting in a 113-107 loss. Since then, he has guided the team through nine games, resulting in only three wins so far. This prompted former NBA star JJ Redick to call Rivers out for his incompetence and lack of accountability.
The controversial statement against his former coach did not sit well with fans, who had berated him for his opinion. Without missing a beat, Reddick decided to clap back. As per an X post by NBA Central, he said, “I can do a video on my podcast where I break down the last nine games the Pelicans have used Zion Williamson as the primary ballhandler… 54,000 views on YouTube. But I wanna call out a coach yesterday. Oh, that gets tens of millions of engagements. That’s the ecosystem we live in. So do fans actually want to be educated or not?”
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"I can do a video on my podcast where I break down the last nine games the Pelicans have used Zion Williamson as the primary ballhandler… 54,000 views on YouTube. But I wanna call out a coach yesterday. Oh, that gets tens of millions of engagements. That's the ecosystem we live… pic.twitter.com/jefNEImxKo
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 21, 2024
Redick’s association with Rivers goes back to his time with the Clippers. Shortly after he was traded to LA, the Clippers also hired Rivers as the Head Coach. Redick spent four seasons in LA under Rivers until he was traded to the Sixers in 2017.
What had Redick said about his former coach?
After Redick retired from the NBA in 2021, he became a sports analyst for ESPN. It was evident that he wasn’t one to hold back from voicing his opinions. So, on a recent appearance on ESPN’s First Take, Redick went off about Rivers. “The trend is always making excuses. Doc we get it, taking over a team in the middle of the season is hard. It’s hard, we get it, just like being traded in the middle of the season is hard for a player,” he had said. “It’s always an excuse, it’s always throwing your team under the bus…There’s never accountability with that guy.”
.@jj_redick on Doc Rivers 😳 pic.twitter.com/JRgLD1rx74
— First Take (@FirstTake) February 20, 2024
Doc Rivers is trying to make new changes and test the waters but it appears that he is failing miserably. His incapacity to calibrate effective rotations and his propensity to maintain rotations even when they are ineffective have proved to be an issue. What the Bucks desperately need right now is a proper defensive mechanism, and Rivers should start working up from there.
Read More- Doc Rivers Drama: Excuses Keep Piling Up As Giannis Antetokounmpo Vents About A “Lot Of BS”
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Do you think Rivers was a good choice for the Bucks? Should they have never let go of Griffin? Share your thoughts!
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