The Milwaukee Bucks are officially out of the playoffs, and head coach Doc Rivers isn't hiding why.
Milwaukee fell to 29-44 on the season and its playoff hopes ended after a 127-95 loss to the San Antonio Spurs that ended a nearly decade-long winning streak.
The story of this season for Rivers is simply availability.
“Obviously, it's disappointing,” Rivers told reporters. “I haven't had a healthy stretch since I've been here and it's your key player. It's been (Giannis Antetokounmpo). It's been (former Bucks guard Damian Lillard). You hope you can get through it, but we just don't have the ability.”
Milwaukee has been without its core players for a long time, and Antetokounmpo has been out for a significant amount of time during that time. The former MVP hasn't played in a game since March 15, and the team has performed terribly in his absence.
The roster was built to compete, including the addition of Myles Turner, but injuries destroyed any momentum before it could fully take shape.
“We need to be healthy,” Rivers said. “We were thin. We knew that before the season started, but things didn't go our way. All the talk and all that stuff probably didn't help either.”
Rivers also pointed to the league's changing landscape, showing that Milwaukee is often shorthanded compared to its competitors.
He added that the Bucks operate at a disadvantage with “only one quote-unquote star” while “every other team has two or three.”
Despite the disappointment, Rivers emphasized the leadership within the locker room, especially that of Bobby Portis.
“He’s been a pro this year,” Rivers said. “We had a good conversation today before the game about it. I'm very proud of him as a leader. He's trying to do the right thing.”
As the season winds down, attention quickly shifts to the future and what comes next for Antetokounmpo and the direction of the team.
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