MILWAUKEE — Coach Doc Rivers of the Milwaukee Bucks has assured that the team is not succumbing to added pressure as they strive to recover from what is recorded as the slowest start in three decades of the franchise’s history.
The Bucks, currently with a record of 1-6, are looking to break a six-game losing streak when they face off against the Utah Jazz, also at 1-6, on Thursday. This comes at a time when they are still without three-time All-Star forward Khris Middleton, who is in recovery following surgeries on both ankles during the offseason.
“The concern lies outside our organization, I can assure you of that. Internally, there’s no worry,” Rivers stated on Wednesday.
The team’s sluggish beginning may bring some satisfaction to rival teams eyeing the possibility of acquiring two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo should he express any dissatisfaction and seek a trade. Antetokounmpo missed the Bucks’ recent game against Cleveland, a close loss at 116-114, due to a strained adductor muscle. He noted, however, that the team was making progress over the weekend.
“While we aren’t forecasting a five or ten-game winning streak, I see us improving and developing better trust in each other,” he commented after Saturday’s narrow loss to Cleveland, which ended 114-113. “Our ball movement has improved, and there’s a lot of positive developments within our control.”
The Bucks claimed their last championship in 2021, and there has been a sustained urgency for the franchise to secure another title while Antetokounmpo is in his prime.
Following the team’s impressive regular-season performance last year, former coach Mike Budenholzer was dismissed after a disappointing first-round playoff exit against the Miami Heat. Adrian Griffin took over but was released midway through the previous season despite a commendable record of 30-13. Since Rivers’ appointment, the Bucks have maintained a record of 18-25, including a 4-2 playoff defeat to Indiana last season.
Rivers emphasized that the team is not feeling rushed and cited strategic decisions like resting Antetokounmpo to maintain his health during a demanding stretch of five games in seven days.
“This group has a positive mindset. We genuinely believe in our capabilities, even though our performance has not always reflected that. We played well in our last two outings despite the losses,” he remarked.
The Bucks maintain optimism regarding their capacity to turn the season around.
“You occasionally hit these rough patches,” noted forward Bobby Portis. “Ours just happens to have come at the beginning of the season.”
The historical context of the Bucks’ rough start raises some eyebrows, with the current record being reminiscent of the last time they struggled so significantly out of the gate in 1993-94. That season began with a win followed by ten consecutive losses, resulting in a dismal overall record of 20-62.
There have only been twenty instances throughout NBA history of teams making the playoffs after securing at most one win in the first seven games, with only three of those occurrences happening this century: Miami in 2003-04, Chicago in 2004-05, and New Orleans in 2021-22. Notably, eight of the twenty teams came from an era when most teams automatically entered the playoffs.
While Middleton’s eventual return could provide a significant boost, it remains uncertain when he will be back on the court. When asked about the situation, Rivers expressed uncertainty, saying, “I can’t definitively answer that right now.”
The Bucks have also faced their share of challenges, playing six of their first eight games on the road, and suffering setbacks against both the unbeaten Cavaliers and the defending champions, the Boston Celtics. Three of their losses to the Cavaliers were decided by a mere total of three points.
In brighter news, Milwaukee looks forward to hosting four of their next five games, which presents a crucial opportunity for recovery and improvement.
“It can really only go up from here,” Portis concluded. “Things can’t get worse than they are currently.”