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ESPN’s JJ Redick criticized Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers, blasting him for what he said was a lack of accountability.
“I’ve seen the trend for years. The trend is always making excuses,” Reddick said on the February 20 episode of “First Take.” “Doc, we get it. Taking over a team in the middle of a season is hard… It’s always an excuse. It’s always throwing your team under the bus… There’s never accountability with that guy.”
In response to Redick’s comment, “First Take” co-star Stephen A. Smith asserted, “We should take [Redick’s comments] serious because you played for him. So for you to say something like that, it matters.”
Smith said Rivers, who coached Redick on the Los Angeles Clippers from 2013 to 2017, should “just go out there and coach.” He predicted that if Rivers, 62, was not able to win a championship either this season or next season, it would be his last head coaching job.
During his press conference over All-Star weekend, Rivers said, “Taking a job when you’re about to go on the toughest road trip of the season is not the smartest decision. I even told them that: ‘Can we wait ‘til All-Star break?’ You know, it would have been a lot nicer.”
Rivers coached the Eastern Conference team in All-Star Game on February 18.
Rough Start for Doc Rivers in Milwaukee
Since taking over as the head coach of the Bucks, the Bucks have gone 3-7, including an embarrassing 113-110 loss to the undermanned Memphis Grizzlies on February 15.
All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo also expressed how it has been difficult for him, saying, “It’s hard. This is my fourth coach in the span of six months, from Coach Bud, Coach Griff, Coach Joe and then Doc. Different philosophy, different game plan. It’s hard. It’s draining.”
The Bucks currently sit at 35-21, in third place in the Eastern Conference. Things won’t get easier for them down the stretch, either. The combined winning percentage of the rest of the Buck’s opponents is .534, giving them the third-most difficult schedule for the rest of the season.
The Bucks return to action against the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 23.
Successful All-Star Break
While this season may be particularly difficult for the Bucks, it was a successful All-Star break for Rivers, Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.
On February 17, Lillard won the NBA Starry 3-Point Contest, the first repeat winner of the contest since 2007 and 2008.
In the All-Star game, Lillard had more success, winning the MVP after finishing the game with 39 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists. Antetokounmpo finished the affair with 23 points, 7 rebounds and 1 assist.
The Eastern Conference All-Stars defeated the Western Conference All-Stars 211-186, in what was a record number of points scored in a single All-Star game.
The lack of competitiveness in the game, which has been an ongoing discussion for years, left a bad taste in many’s mouths.
Rivers coached the All-Star game after replacing the fired Adrian Griffin. However, he told insider Marc Stein that he would be given both his All-Star ring and game check to Adrian Griffin.
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