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Doc Rivers admits he wanted to wait until All-Star Break before accepting Bucks' HC offer:
Doc Rivers was candid about his sudden takeover of the Milwaukee Bucks head coaching seat. Rivers admitted that the transition he took has been challenging as he initially wanted to wait after the All-Star festivities before accepting the Bucks’ offer upon the dismissal of Adrian Griffin.
"Taking a job when you’re about to go on the toughest road trip of the season is not the smartest decision," Rivers said, per FOX Sports’ Yaron Weitzman. "I even told them that: ‘Can we wait ‘til All-Star break?’ You know, it would have been a lot nicer.”
A learning curve for both Doc and the Bucks
Coming off his brief basketball analyst run in ESPN’s nationally televised coverages in the NBA this season, it hasn't been truly an easy coaching return for Doc as he inherited a Bucks team that was not only facing massive defensive issues but also a daunting five-game West Coast road trip.
As a result, the Bucks have gone 1-4 on the said skid. And to further contextualize, the team has gone to a dubious 3-7 record since Rivers assumed the lead coaching role, which includes a horrifying 113-110 Thursday road loss against the lottery-bound Memphis Grizzlies.
While their defensive concerns have been gradually addressed, their offense has dipped with Doc. Despite parading both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, the Bucks shockingly struggled offensively throughout the previous games under Doc. They are currently the East's third-seeded squad with a 35-21 record and are just 4.5 games above the Play-In spot.
The work continues
Behind the Bucks’ recent struggles, Doc stands reasonable for the circumstances that he and the team have met in their desire to work things out. But in the end, he remains committed to his task to guide Milwaukee for the remainder of the season and fulfill its championship expectations.
“… The end game is what we’re playing for, and the organization felt strongly that a change needed to be made defensively and things like that, and that’s what we’re doing. The problem is, while you’re doing that, you’re in the middle of the season on the toughest trip. … I’ve been in Milwaukee (for) four days. I’ve had the job for three weeks.”
