There’s a glaring difference between how the Milwaukee Bucks perform based on whoever Doc Rivers plays with Giannis Antetokounmpo in the last few regular season games. The bench is a notch better than the starters.
The bench managed to takeover the starting unit in the fourth quarter of their last two wins in regular season games except the last one against the Detroit Pistons.
Antetokounmpo had a more productive time playing with Gary Trent Jr., Kevin Porter Jr., AJ Green, and Bobby Portis compared to the guys he started with – Brook Lopez, Kyle Kuzma, Ryan Rollins, and Taurean Prince.
The Greek Freak himself even said that he would not mind if the bench will be promoted into starters one of these games.
The first round of the playoffs came and Doc Rivers stuck with his starting five. They lost and the same thing happened. The four starters have worse plus/minus stat compared to the bench.
Is it time to put KPJ and the rest in the starting five? Bucks fans should not let their hopes up.
“I don’t know, you look at their plus-minus, it’s pretty good. You look at the starters’ plus-minus, so it’s one game and we’ve had a week off, so no, I don’t. Sometimes you stick with your group,” Rivers said post-game.
Doc Rivers’ statement is not selling well
Rivers is not giving up on the main guys. He insisted that they only need better execution.
He specifically said that about Kyle Kuzma who recorded no stat in more than 21 minutes of play.
This statement by the head coach is not too popular to many Bucks fans.
That Doc presser doesn’t inspire confidence in me
— Bucks Breakdown (@Bucks_Breakdown) April 19, 2025
so…he knows the starters plus-minus is awful? And he just…keeps starting them?
— ND (with the “upmost” respect) 🏁 (@nathand_12) April 19, 2025
Watching Doc Rivers coach your basketball team in the playoffs pic.twitter.com/2BRHPfroOx
— Paul Henning (@brewcitypaul) April 19, 2025
Bucks-Pacers series resumes on Tuesday.
For more great Wisconsin sports content
Follow us @WiSportsHeroics for the latest and trending news about Packers, Brewers, Bucks, Marquette, and the rest of Wisconsin Sports. Stay updated by reading more of our Wisconsin Sports articles by clicking here and college basketball by clicking here!
