Doc Rivers Slams Bucks 'Trust' Following Another Loss to Cavaliers

Ricardo Klein | Mar 10, 2025

Mar 8, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers looks on in the first half against the Orlando Magic at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images / Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks suffered a tough loss on Sunday night, the second of a back-to-back, this time to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

The Cavaliers came away with their 54th win of the season and their 14th in a row. It was an excellent effort from the Cavaliers, which came off a scoring balance from the team. 

All five of Cleveland's starters scored in double figures. No one scored over 20 points in the game, yet the Cavaliers easily beat the Bucks. It was a total effort for the Cavaliers, and the same cannot be said for the Bucks. 

Only three Bucks scored in double figure. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the team, and the game ended with 30 points, but it was not enough to earn the win. 

The Bucks weren't happy with their efforts, especially head coach Doc Rivers. Rivers spoke to the media after the game and was disgusted with his team's offensive effort, which was a vast difference from Cleveland's.

Asked Doc Rivers what he takes from going 0-4 against the Cavaliers this regular season.

Rivers: "Just watching their trust over ours offensively. It will jump off the screen when our guys watch it."

— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) March 10, 2025

“I thought the difference in the two teams’ trust, ball movement, was visual,” Rivers said after the Cavs’ loss. “We’ve had it. We’ve lost it the last couple of games and we gotta get it back.

“We have done it all year. For whatever reason — and it could be being too competitive at times: guy gets it, thinks he can beat the guy and the ball stops — but I just know you don’t win when the ball stops. I don’t care what team it is. Ball movement, trust, it uplifts your entire team. I just didn’t think we did that tonight.”

Milwaukee struggled mightily to break down the elite defense of the Cavaliers. They only recorded 17 assists, their second-least in a game of the season. Rivers was unhappy with his team's lack of ball movement on Sunday. 

The Bucks had more turnovers than the Cavaliers, 18-15, and shot poorly from three, 29 percent on 31 attempts. 

Not only did the Bucks lose this game, but their record now stands at 0-9 against the top three teams in the Eastern Conference: Cleveland, Boston Celtics, and the New York Knicks. 

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