When the Milwaukee Bucks decided to bring in Doc Rivers as Adrian Griffin’s replacement, there was a solitary goal in their minds. This was to win an NBA championship in 2024, and at that point, the front office believed that Rivers was the right man for the job.
Feb 23, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers speaks to the media prior to the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Rivers and the Bucks obviously failed to achieve this lofty objective this season. Now, the tenured shot-caller has spoken openly about Milwaukee’s championship-or-bust mentality and why the Bucks were ultimately unable to reach their goals this past season.
Milwaukee Bucks News: Doc Rivers Points to Injuries as Culprit Behind Disappointing Campaign
Mar 24, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Speaking to the press in last week’s exit interview, Rivers acknowledged that anything less than a championship was indeed considered a failure for the Bucks. The 62-year-old was asked about dealing with the “inherent disappointment” of failing to reach their objectives, which prompted a brutally honest response from Rivers:
“When you put yourself in a category of you want to win a championship, then … there’s either a happy landing or there’s a plane crash. There’s no in-between,” he said, via Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Obviously with the injuries, there’s nothing you can do about that. We were not gonna win with our injuries. But that still doesn’t mean you’re not just as disappointed, you know, because you are. You don’t have a lot of opportunities to win titles. You just don’t. There’s players and coaches who go through their whole career and never have an opportunity. This one, because of injury, was taken away from us more than we lost it. Next year, we hope to be healthy and we can go after it. But, still disappointed.”
Apr 2, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) looks on during the first quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers looks on during the National Anthem at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY SportsFor More Wisconsin Sports:
Follow me on Twitter at @PaoloSongcoNBA, and follow us @WiSportsHeroics. Also, check out our Merchandise Here! Get 20% off with the code “WSH.” You can also reach out to Paolo Songco via email at [email protected]. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here! Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers.
Mayfield Sports Marketing
Call Mayfield Sports Marketing at 262-366-8188 to schedule Green Bay Packers players or alumni for your corporate appearance or product promotion. Our booking agents will work on your behalf to get you the best price for your desired sports speaker. Mayfield Sports Marketing has earned a reputation of being the one to call for booking top athletes to speak at events and trade shows. To learn more about Packers players or alumni appearance cost and booking fee, please call us today. www.MayfieldSports.com.
Radtke Sports
Wisconsin Sports Heroics is proud partner with Radtke Sports to offer autographed memorabilia. Brett Favre, Rob Gronkowski, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and MORE Guaranteed Authentic Collectibles and Memorabilia including signed jerseys, photos, and more at www.RadtkeSports.com USE promo code: WSH for FREE SHIPPING on your purchase. Some restrictions may apply
