“I’ve never come up short!” – Bucks veteran coach, Doc Rivers defends illustrious 25-year coaching career
Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers addresses criticism of his playoff record, as he highlights his career achievements.
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Coach Doc Rivers defends his legacy
As the new NBA season approaches, Doc Rivers dismissed criticism of his playoff record in an interview with The Athletic. The veteran coach emphasized his consistent success over 25 years, where he cited his rankings among other great coaches.
Furthermore, Doc Rivers in the interview acknowledged that he is being evaluated by a higher standard due to his past success. He also stressed that his numbers speak for themselves, as he boasts of 21 playoff appearances in 25 seasons.
I’ve never come up short, in my opinion. Come up short? What does that mean? Like, we didn’t win a title?… I’ve coached for 25 years and I’ve had two losing seasons. And the two losing seasons, we were trying to f**king lose, yeah.
Coach Doc Rivers said to Eric Nehm of The Athletic
Doc Rivers says he never came up short in his coaching career
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 19, 2024
“I’ve never come up short, in my opinion. Come up short? What does that mean? Like, we didn’t win a title? I go back in Philly. I took that job after we lost in the first round 4-0 (to the Celtics in 2020 under Brett… pic.twitter.com/Tuvh9zPTg0
Sadly, despite his impressive regular-season record, his playoff shortcomings have become a central part of his legacy. Critics have pointed to his 10 Game 7 losses, three blown 3-1 leads, and four series losses with 3-2 advantages.
And as he enters his first full season with the Bucks, expectations are high. With a star-studded roster, he has the opportunity to rewrite his legacy and silence critics by leading the Bucks to a championship.
Doc Rivers slams Lakers’ decision to fire Darvin Ham
While he defended his legacy, he also criticized the Los Angeles Lakers’ decision to fire their former coach Darvin Ham. In a chat with the media last week, he questioned the logic behind letting go of a coach who led the team to a Western Conference Finals appearance and an in-season tournament victory.
I’m not going to get into the whole thing that happened there, but he took a team to a Western Finals, and then the following year, he won the in-season tournament… and then they release him… literally makes no sense… But Darvin Ham’s a coach, he should be on the sidelines, and I wanted him next to me.
Doc Rivers said to the media
Coach Rivers further praised Ham, who is now his lead assistant coach, for his knowledge and relationships with players. Ham’s experience in Milwaukee, where he previously worked as an assistant from 2018 to 2022, has been invaluable.
The Lakers fired Darvin Ham after he lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Denver Nuggets. His replacement, rookie coach JJ Redick, has been tasked with bringing the Purple and Gold back to its rightful place as one of the best teams in the league.
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Ubong Archibong
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