Bucks’ Damian Lillard Calls Doc Rivers ‘A Leader Of Men’

During an interview with NBA reporter Michael Lee of The Washington Post, Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard spoke highly of head coach Doc Rivers. 

Lillard called Rivers “a leader of men.”

“It’s not like we had to come in and just change everything or teach people how to play. He’s a voice. He’s a leader of men. He demands a lot of us,” Lillard said. “When you start looking for excuses and reasons why, you’re done already and I don’t think nobody’s done that.”

The Bucks improved to 5-7 under Rivers after beating the Philadelphia 76ers yesterday (2/25). They are 37-21 on the season, good for third place in the Eastern Conference standings. 

In his first season with the Bucks, Lillard is averaging 24.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists while shooting 42.3% from the field, 34.2% from beyond the arc and 92.4% from the free-throw line. 

“I love what I do. I love coaching. I love this job. I love this,” Rivers said. “I’ve been lucky enough to keep putting myself in positions to try. I wouldn’t have taken this job if there wasn’t an opportunity, knowing that, all the pressure would come with that, you jump right back in because it’s why you do it.”

Lillard is averaging 21.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.5 blocks under Rivers. 

The Bucks are second in the NBA in points per game and 24th in points per game allowed. It will be fascinating to see how far Milwaukee goes in the 2024 playoffs with Rivers, Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez leading the way. 

“I love winning, and I want to win,” Rivers said. “I just think the longer you are in this and the more chances you have, that’s a good thing. Whether you come up or not, you just got to keep pounding away at it.”

Rivers coached the Boston Celtics to the 2008 championship. However, he hasn’t been past the second round of the playoffs as a coach since 2012.