5 excuses Doc Rivers gave amid Milwaukee Bucks’ slump under his reign

The Milwaukee Bucks have been slumping under new coach Doc Rivers, going 1-4 over his first five games. However, despite his short tenure with the franchise, the veteran coach has already delivered numerous excuses for Milwaukee’s shortcomings.

Rivers was brought in midseason to fix the Bucks’ (33-18) defensive issues. Through 51 games, the team ranks just 18th in defensive rating (116.3).

However, since Rivers was hired, the Bucks still rank just 14th in defensive rating (115.8). Meanwhile, Milwaukee’s fourth-ranked offensive rating (119.6) has dropped to 24th (112.3).

So, the team has experienced minimal defensive improvement while suffering a steep offensive decline under Rivers’ leadership. But according to the former NBA champion, he isn’t to blame for the Bucks’ struggles.

On that note, here are five excuses that Rivers gave for his 1-4 start with Milwaukee.

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Doc Rivers’ excuses for his 1-4 start with Milwaukee Bucks

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#5 Altitude

Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (left)

As for why the Bucks fell 123-108 to the middling Utah Jazz (26-26) on the road on Sunday, Doc Rivers blamed the loss on altitude.

Utah is known for its high altitude, with the state’s average elevation being 6,100 feet above sea level. This has resulted in a widespread belief that the Jazz have an additional home-court advantage over lower-altitude teams.

Opposing players must adjust to the higher altitude, which can cause fatigue or shortness of breath. Nonetheless, the Jazz have still lost seven home games this season (17-7). Thus, winning in Utah is not an insurmountable task.

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#4 Schedule makers

Milwaukee Bucks superstar point guard Damian Lillard (right)

In addition to blaming the altitude for Milwaukee’s loss to the Jazz, Doc Rivers blamed his team’s schedule. The Bucks played in Utah on the second night of a back-to-back after their 129-117 road win over the Dallas Mavericks the night before.

However, back-to-backs are common in the NBA and every team has around the same number of back-to-backs each season. Therefore, players and coaches should be used to the league’s hectic 82-game schedule by now.

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#3 Time zones

Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (left)

Finally, Doc Rivers’ third excuse for his team falling to the Jazz was time zones. Dallas operates on Central Standard Time, while Utah uses Mountain Standard Time. However, Dallas is only one hour ahead, marking a minimal difference.

Additionally, every NBA team has road trips throughout the season. So, players and coaches should be accustomed to the time zone adjustments that come with travel.

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#2 Injuries and fatigue

Milwaukee Bucks superstar point guard Damian Lillard (middle)

Doc Rivers also blamed Milwaukee’s 1-4 start under him on injuries and fatigue stemming from the team’s five-game road trip. Rivers noted that his players didn’t have any legs by the end of the trip. He also said that injuries have forced some of his players to take on excessive workloads.

Rivers may have a point regarding injuries, as multiple key Bucks players have popped up on the injury report over the last five games. This includes superstar point guard Damian Lillard (ankle), star wing Khris Middleton (ankle) and starting center Brook Lopez (personal).

As for road trip-related fatigue, travel is part of NBA life, with each team playing 41 road games per season. So, players and coaches are familiar with spending extended stretches away from home.

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#1 Playing too hard on defense

Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (right)

Doc Rivers’ final excuse may be his most questionable. Despite being brought in for defensive purposes, the veteran coach blamed the Bucks’ 1-4 slump on playing too hard on defense.

If Milwaukee wants to win a title, the team will need to play championship-level defense consistently. However, that can’t come at the expense of offensive production and winning.

So, Rivers will have to figure out how to help the Bucks succeed on both ends sooner rather than later if they hope to contend.

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