Doc Rivers, a seasoned NBA coach with a storied career, joined the Milwaukee Bucks mid season in 2024, taking over from Adrian Griffin after a surprising mid-campaign firing. With a resume boasting an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008, over 1,150 regular-season wins, and a reputation as a players’ coach, Rivers was expected to elevate the Bucks to championship contention. However, his time with the Bucks has been a roller coaster of highs, lows, and intense scrutiny. And in the modern NBA it is easier to make coaches the scapegoats than players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In January 2024, the Bucks made a bold move by dismissing Adrian Griffin after just 43 games, despite a 30-13 record. The decision shocked the NBA world, given the team’s strong standing in the Eastern Conference. Rivers, who had been serving as an ESPN analyst after his stint with the Philadelphia 76ers, was brought in as head coach. His hiring was seen as a gamble to maximise the championship window of stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, acquired in a blockbuster trade before the 2023-24 season. Rivers\u2019 extensive experience coaching the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, and 76ers\u2014made him an appealing choice for a team with immediate title aspirations.<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the transition wasn\u2019t seamless. The Bucks were still paying former coaches Mike Budenholzer and Griffin, adding financial complexity to the move. Rivers inherited a talented but injury-plagued roster, and his mid season arrival meant adapting to a team already in motion. Early struggles raised eyebrows, with the Bucks posting an 18-23 record in their first 41 games under Rivers, prompting criticism from fans. One remarked, \u201cBucks are 18-23 since hiring Doc Rivers… That\u2019s a crazy way to waste Giannis and Dame pairing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rivers\u2019 first partial season with the Bucks (2023-24) ended with a 49-33 record, securing the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. However, the playoffs were a disappointment. The Bucks faced the Indiana Pacers in the first round and were eliminated in six games, marking their second consecutive first-round exit. Injuries to key players, including Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, hampered the team\u2019s performance. Rivers faced criticism for failing to advance, with some pointing to his historical playoff struggles, including three infamous 3-1 series lead collapses with previous teams.<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Rivers addressed the criticism, arguing that the narrative around his playoff losses was \u201cunfair in some ways.\u201d He emphasised that his teams have never been swept in the postseason and highlighted the challenge of coaching underdog teams like the 2003 Orlando Magic, which took a 3-1 lead against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons before collapsing. \u201cI don\u2019t get enough credit for getting the three wins,\u201d Rivers told Andscape, underscoring his ability to position teams for success despite ultimate failures.<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The 2024-25 season brought more challenges. The Bucks finished with a 48-34 record, landing the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. Despite a talented roster, injuries continued to plague the team. Damian Lillard suffered a blood clot during the regular season and later tore his left Achilles in Game 4 of the first-round playoff series against the Pacers, contributing to another early exit in a 119-118 overtime loss in Game 5. Giannis Antetokounmpo also battled injuries, though he delivered a heroic 30-point, 20-rebound, 13-assist performance in Game 5.<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Rivers made notable adjustments during the season. After falling 0-2 to the Pacers in the playoffs, he shook up the starting lineup, inserting players like Gary Trent Jr., AJ Green, and Bobby Portis to compensate for Lillard\u2019s absence. The move paid off in Game 3, with the Bucks securing a 117-101 victory, showcasing Rivers\u2019 ability to adapt under pressure. However, the team couldn\u2019t overcome the series deficit, and Rivers\u2019 son, Austin, publicly defended him against critics, arguing that the playoff loss was due to team mistakes rather than coaching errors. \u201cEvery possible mistake that a team could make in a minute was made,\u201d Austin Rivers said on The Ryen Russillo Podcast.<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Rivers also faced health challenges during the season. On April 4, 2025, he fell ill during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers, forcing assistant coach Darvin Ham to take over. The Bucks won 126-113, demonstrating the team\u2019s resilience and Ham\u2019s readiness, a testament to Rivers\u2019 coaching staff preparation.<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the brightest spots of Rivers\u2019 tenure has been his relationship with Giannis Antetokounmpo. The two-time MVP has been vocal about his admiration for Rivers, both as a coach and a person. After the Bucks\u2019 Game 5 loss to the Pacers in 2025, Giannis said, \u201cI love Doc. I think he\u2019s a great human being. He knows how to uplift your spirits and always knows the right thing to say at the right moment.\u201d He humorously added, \u201cHe\u2019s been in the NBA for 50 years. Is it 50? I don\u2019t know. Maybe. A lot of years.\u201d Earlier, in February 2024, Giannis described his experience with Rivers as \u201cincredible\u201d and praised his ability to foster team unity.<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This bond has been crucial, especially amid trade rumors surrounding Giannis due to the Bucks\u2019 playoff struggles. Rivers\u2019 ability to connect with his star player has kept the team\u2019s core intact, though speculation about Giannis\u2019 future persists, with some reports suggesting he could chase bigger markets.<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Rivers\u2019 tenure has not been without controversy. A player poll in April 2025 ranked him among the NBA\u2019s worst coaches, with 12.3% of votes, though he was the first coach of a playoff-bound team on the list. Critics point to his postseason record\u201421 playoff appearances but only two NBA Finals trips and one championship\u2014as evidence of underachievement. The Bucks\u2019 back-to-back first-round exits under Rivers have fuelled this narrative.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Rivers has pushed back against the criticism, particularly regarding his 3-1 playoff lead collapses. He argues that his teams\u2019 ability to achieve those leads reflects strong coaching, and injuries, like Chris Paul\u2019s in 2015 with the Clippers, often played a role in losses. \u201cOne of the things that I\u2019m proud of is we\u2019ve never been swept,\u201d he said, highlighting his teams\u2019 competitiveness.<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Rivers has leaned on a strong coaching staff, including Darvin Ham, a former Lakers head coach, and his son Spencer Rivers, an assistant coach. The Bucks also saw one of their assistants eyed for a head coaching role elsewhere in May 2025, indicating the quality of Rivers\u2019 staff. However, the organization faces financial constraints, still paying out contracts for former coaches Budenholzer and Griffin, which could complicate any decision to move on from Rivers.<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bucks face a pivotal offseason. With Lillard\u2019s Achilles injury and Giannis\u2019 future uncertain, Rivers\u2019 ability to navigate roster changes and injuries will be critical. His regular-season success\u2014nearing Phil Jackson\u2019s win total and securing playoff berths\u2014demonstrates his coaching prowess, but postseason results remain the ultimate measure. Rivers\u2019 experience, player relationships, and adaptability suggest he can steer the Bucks toward deeper playoff runs, but the pressure is on to deliver a championship with a roster built for now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Areas of Limited or No Improvement of Giannis under Doc Rivers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Post Play Efficiency<\/strong> Three-Point Shooting<\/strong> Free-Throw Shooting<\/strong> Late-Game Decision-Making<\/strong> Doc Rivers\u2019 tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks is a tale of high expectations, injury setbacks, and a strong connection with Giannis Antetokounmpo. While his regular-season record and leadership have kept the Bucks competitive, playoff disappointments have drawn criticism. Rivers\u2019 ability to adapt, as seen in lineup changes and his handling of adversity, shows why he remains a respected figure in the NBA. Whether he can lead the Bucks to another title will define his legacy in Milwaukee. For now, his bond with Giannis and his resilience in the face of scrutiny keep him with the Bucks but the honest truth is that Giannis is the source of the inflexibility, not Doc. The Bucks have a lot of problems. Doc Rivers is not No1. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Under Doc Rivers, Giannis Antetokounmpo has not shown significant improvement in his three-point shooting, free-throw accuracy, late-game decision-making, or post-play efficiency. But Giannis loves him, probably because he gets away with anything he wants on the team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1633,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5,6],"tags":[257,569,258,56,85,571,297,570],"class_list":["post-1632","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-strategy","category-team","tag-coach","tag-coaching","tag-doc","tag-giannis","tag-mistakes","tag-pampering","tag-rivers","tag-scapegoat"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/doc-rivers.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1632","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1632"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1632\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1636,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1632\/revisions\/1636"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1633"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1632"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1632"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1632"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Performance in the 2023-24 Season<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The 2024-25 Season: Challenges and Adjustments<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Relationship with Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Criticism and Public Perception<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Coaching Staff and Organizational Context<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Looking Ahead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
While Giannis is dominant in the post, his efficiency against elite defensive teams hasn\u2019t improved under Rivers. Opponents like the Pacers in the 2024 and 2025 playoffs used physical, switch-heavy defences to slow him down, and Rivers\u2019 adjustments (e.g., lineup changes) didn\u2019t fully counter this. Giannis\u2019 post moves remain predictable, relying on power over finesse, and Rivers hasn\u2019t introduced noticeable new wrinkles to his low-post game, such as counters to double-teams or refined footwork.<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Giannis\u2019 three-point shooting has not shown notable progress under Rivers. Historically, his outside shot has been a weak point, with career averages hovering around 28-29% from beyond the arc. In the 2023-24 season, he shot 27.4% on 1.3 attempts per game, and in 2024-25, reports suggest no significant uptick in efficiency or volume. Rivers\u2019 offensive schemes have leaned heavily on Giannis\u2019 paint dominance and playmaking, with less emphasis on developing his perimeter game. Fans have noted frustration with Giannis\u2019 lack of a reliable jump shot, with one user stating, \u201cGiannis still can\u2019t shoot threes, and Doc\u2019s not fixing that.\u201d While Rivers has encouraged team-oriented play, there\u2019s no evidence of targeted work to improve Giannis\u2019 three-point consistency. In the modern NBA lack of 3pt is a serious impediment for the whole team and Giannis shot worse than ever this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Free-throw shooting remains a persistent issue for Giannis. His career free-throw percentage is around 70%, but under Rivers, there\u2019s no clear indication of improvement. In the 2023-24 season, he shot 65.7% from the line, a dip from prior years. In the 2024-25 playoffs, his free-throw struggles in high-pressure situations were noted in reports. Rivers\u2019 focus on team unity and Giannis\u2019 role as a facilitator hasn\u2019t translated to addressing this technical flaw, possibly due to limited mid season time or prioritising other aspects of the Bucks\u2019 game plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Giannis\u2019 decision-making in crunch-time situations has been a point of criticism, particularly in the playoffs. While he\u2019s improved as a playmaker\u2014evidenced by his triple-double in the 2025 playoffs\u2014some analysts argue he still struggles with turnovers or forcing plays in high-stakes moments. For example, during the Bucks\u2019 2024 and 2025 first-round exits against the Pacers, Giannis\u2019 aggressive style led to occasional rushed shots or turnovers, as noted in game recaps. Rivers\u2019 coaching has emphasised Giannis as the focal point of the offence, but there\u2019s little evidence of specific strategies to refine his late-game composure, such as diversifying his approach or deferring to teammates like Damian Lillard (when healthy). Doc Rivers has resorted to keeping him out of the game as long as possible in the 4th quarter but when Giannis eventually enters he often messes everything up.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSo no, it’s not on Doc Rivers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n