Before Doc Rivers’s 1st match from the bench as manager of the Milwaukee Bucks in Denver, he was already talking about how crucial patience would be.
For the 1st time in his 25-year coaching career, Doc is becoming head coach midseason, a challenge he admitted “he wouldn’t wish on anybody.” At the same time, Milwaukee is getting comfortable with an entirely different approach after 1st-year manager Adrian Griffin was dismissed and Doc took his place.
Tough one. pic.twitter.com/MY7yYsBZxE
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 30, 2024
“It’s going to take a while,” Doc claimed before Monday’s 113-107 defeat against Denver.
Nuggets spoiled Rivers’ Bucks coaching debut with a defeat, dropping him to 1-4 in his career in his 1st match with a new organization.
Doc Rivers blows a double digit lead and loses to the Nuggets in his first game as the Bucks head coach. He’s already in playoff mode! pic.twitter.com/lU1CbZ9yNO
— JokićNuggs?? (@JokicNuggs) January 30, 2024
The most positive thing for Milwaukee was their defense as they limited the Nuggets to 113 points, forcing 2-time MVP Nikola Jokic to take 25 shots to notch 25 points. Despite that, the Serbian finished with a triple-double as he had 16 boards and 12 assists, while Jamal Murray finished with 35 points.