According to NBA insiders Shams Charania and Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers held a film session with the team’s top nine rotation players.
The Bucks are in a funk right now. They have lost four games in a row.
“On Saturday, according to sources briefed on the meeting, Bucks coach Doc Rivers held a film session with the team’s top nine veteran rotation players in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, Malik Beasley, Bobby Portis, Patrick Beverley, Pat Connaughton and Jae Crowder,” Charania and Nehm wrote. “During that session, each player was given a chance to speak his mind and explain what they have been seeing from their own perspective, as well as how they believe the team needs to operate selflessly as a unit moving forward.
“‘It’s only the start of these tough and necessary conversations,’ one source described the session.”
The Bucks are 47-31 on the season and 15-17 under Rivers, who replaced Adrian Griffin. Milwaukee is in second place in the Eastern Conference standings.
After the Bucks lost to the New York Knicks on Sunday (4/7), Antetokounmpo addressed the spirit of the team.
“When was the last time Malik did…” Antetokounmpo asked before acting out tBeasley’s trademark 3-point shimmy celebration. “When was the last time Pat hit a 3 and did…” Antetokounmpo asked before signaling a 3 and wiping it across his chest as Connaughton does after hitting a big shot from deep. “When was the last time Jae hit a 3, went back and he swags back like…” Antetokounmpo asked as he pretended to backpedal down the floor like Crowder. “When was the last time I dunked on somebody and went ‘Ahhhhhh!,’” Antetokounmpo asked as he pretended to yell at an imaginary, sold-out home crowd after a huge dunk.
“It’s almost like we’re going through the motions.”
The Bucks are fourth in the NBA in points per game, 22nd in points per game allowed and ninth in net rating. They have four games left in the regular season.
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