Doc Rivers calls out Bucks after loss to Grizzlies

By Jeff Smith | Last updated 2/16/24

The Milwaukee Bucks moved to 3-7 under new head coach Doc Rivers on Thursday night following a 113-110 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Rivers replaced first-year head coach Adrian Griffin after he was relieved of his duties while the team was 30-13 and second in the Eastern Conference. While the arrival of Rivers brought plenty of intrigue and expected upside, things have been just the opposite early on. It appears Milwaukee's new head coach is currently dealing with a bit of frustration with the players.

Following the surprising loss to an undermanned Grizzlies team, Rivers had some choice words for Bucks players, stating that the team had "some guys in Cabo."

The longtime NBA coach cited the All-Star break, which begins on Friday, Feb. 16, and apparently believes some players weren't mentally checked in, as he insinuated to reporters after the game.

"Two guys forget what we're running ... then we missed a shot and then nobody gets back, that's how we start out the third quarter. That tells you all you need to know about where our heads were ... we had some guys here, and we had some guys in Cabo," Rivers said after the loss.

The Bucks now sit in third in the Eastern Conference and are just 1.5 games ahead of the New York Knicks and two games up on the Philadelphia 76ers, who currently sit in fifth place.

The Bucks are also moving closer and closer to dangerous territory, as seeds six through eight, the Indiana Pacers (four games back), Miami Heat and Orlando Magic (each 4.5 games back of Milwaukee) are one more bad stretch away from finding themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff standings.

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