The Milwaukee Bucks currently have an abysmal 11-18 record. The team is struggling in the 2025-26 NBA season, and it seems like a matter of time before Giannis Antetokounmpo leaves. The organization is facing serious criticism, and Doc Rivers’ Bucks failure shouldn’t go unnoticed in all of this.
Rivers took over as the head coach in January 2024. At the time, Milwaukee had a 32-14 record. They were contenders, thought to be a coaching change away from making another serious title push. But Doc’s arrival has coincided with a fairly horrendous record, considering that they have a perennial MVP candidate.
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“In 2024, Doc Rivers took over a 32-14 Bucks team that was seen as being a good coaching change away from being strong title contenders, and had been a top three seed the previous five years (one seed three times),” an NBA fan pointed out on Reddit. “Since then, he has gone 76-71 and hasn’t won a playoff series.”
Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers reacts against the Chicago Bulls. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
That record is tough to argue with. The Bucks were seen as consistent threats and won a championship in 2021. And while injuries and roster changes have been a problem, Rivers’ record still isn’t acceptable. He hasn’t delivered what was expected when he joined.
The Bucks are heading towards a rebuild; it seems inevitable at this point. If this does come to pass, the team will want to consider who their head coach should be. Considering his performance so far, Rivers doesn’t seem like the ideal long-term play.
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