Doc Rivers On Bucks Losing Against Top Teams Like Knicks: 'Coaches Laugh At That'

The New York Knicks blew out the Milwaukee Bucks 140-106 at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. It was an embarrassing loss for the Bucks and it dropped them to 0-8 against the Knicks, Boston Celtics, and Cleveland Cavaliers this season. They just can't seem to beat the top three in the East but Doc Rivers brushed off that stat when it was brought up in his postgame press conference.

"I literally could give — I mean, I’m being very honest — that’s more written stuff," Rivers said. "... Coaches laugh at that. I'm being honest, 'cause we know, you're playing well in the playoffs, you play those same teams you can beat those same teams.

"Right now the way we've played the Knicks, that's probably very true because they have kicked our butt twice so you got to live with what they're doing," Rivers added. "I got to do something better, the team's got to do something better," Rivers added. "But we feel comfortable against anybody."

The Bucks are 0-2 against the Knicks, 0-3 against the Celtics, and 0-3 against the Cavaliers. While Rivers isn't losing much sleep over the losses, he did admit the Bucks need to figure out why they've been blown out twice by the Knicks.

"I don't know yet," Rivers stated. "We've played them twice, two afternoon games, two funky games. That's what I mean by regular season, playoffs big difference. But I will say they've beaten us pretty soundly twice. And so there's something there, it's not just a coincidence. There's something there that we have to figure out."

In the first meeting of this season between these teams, the Bucks lost 116-94 at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks led by as many as 30 points at one stage and it was a complete beatdown. Karl-Anthony Towns had put on a show that night with 32 points but it was Jalen Brunson's turn to shine on Sunday.

Brunson had 44 points (16-26 FG), five rebounds, six assists, and a steal against the Bucks. He just tore them apart effortlessly to drop them to 20-17 on the season. Towns impressed once again too, with 30 points (10-16 FG), 18 rebounds, four assists, and a steal and they've had no answer for him this season. 

As for the positives for the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 24 points (10-21 FG), 13 rebounds, two assists, and a block on the night. It was a solid showing but they need more from the two-time MVP in these games.

This defeat to the Knicks also meant the Bucks have now failed to win the season series against each of the top three teams in the Eastern Conference. They won't be playing the Celtics again this season and will only face the Knicks and the Cavaliers one more time.

The Bucks will play both the Knicks and Cavaliers in March and if they lose both those games as well, then it'd be hard to be optimistic about their chances come playoffs. Sure, regular season games don't necessarily give a clear idea of how a playoff series would go down, but an 0-10 record against the top three would suggest this is a team headed to a second-round exit.

For now, though, the Bucks' focus would be on their next game, which is against the Sacramento Kings at Fiserv Forum on Tuesday at 8 PM ET. The Kings enter that contest on a seven-game win streak and will pose a very difficult challenge to the Bucks.