Doc Rivers Laments Lack Of Rest After Cup Title, As Bucks Blasted By Cavs

December 20, 2024

CLEVELAND — Fresh off an NBA Cup championship, the Milwaukee Bucks headed into Cleveland to take on the NBA’s best-record Cavaliers (24-4).

And following their celebration activities in Las Vegas, the Bucks certainly looked sluggish during their 124-101 loss on Friday night.

Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs with an efficient 27 points (9-for-15 FG), while notable role players stepped up, such as Dean Wade (4-for-5 3PT), who started in Isaac Okoro’s absence (shoulder sprain).

Not to mention, in his return from injury Max Strus contributed three long-range makes off the bench, as the Cavs shot 43.5% from beyond the arc.

In view of the other side, with Damian Lillard ruled out with a calf injury, the Bucks leaned on Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored 33 points (13-for-22 FG), and grabbed 14 rebounds.

However, Milwaukee’s supporting cast didn’t offer much support as two starters, A.J. Green and Andre Jackson Jr., went a combined 0-for-9 from the field and scored 0 points.

That is to say, after Bucks head coach Doc Rivers and each of the players received $500,000 from earning their NBA Cup victory vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, they may have had a little bit too much fun spending it.

During the pre-game interviews, Rivers noted that some guys probably needed to “detox” from drinking after their trip, but said he wouldn’t name any names.

With this in mind, Rivers wasn’t a fan of the quick turnaround that came with winning the NBA Cup in Vegas to then playing against the NBA’s best Cavs a few days later.

”I said before the Cup started… the Cup had meaning, you could see that, you could feel that. All four teams there they wanted to win and they played that way,” Rivers said. “But what they need to do is the time after the Cup, Oklahoma played last night [104-97 win vs. Miami Heat], I can’t imagine… and they won, at least they had enough energy to do that.”

Unfortunately for the Bucks they had to face one of the toughest teams in the league, and looked lackadaisical from the start. In view of this, Rivers referenced that the Cavs would be well rested, as they only played two games since their loss to the Heat on December 8.

”During the Cup time, the teams that aren’t there are getting a lot of rest,” Rivers pointed out. “And then we played a Cup and now bam we are back in it. I think they have to figure the back end of it, and I think they will.”

On the season, the Cavs have swept the Bucks 3-0, as Milwaukee now falls to a 14-12 record, while Cleveland improves to 24-4.

To note, this is their best start to a season since 2008-09 when LeBron and company finished 66-16.