Since taking over as head coach of the Orlando Magic in 1999, Doc Rivers has built a historic coaching career. Now entering his 25th season on the bench, Rivers is preparing the Milwaukee Bucks for the 2024-25 NBA campaign. Despite his vast experience, some fans still question his ability to guide the Bucks to championship contention. Rivers, however, took the time to address these criticisms head-on.
Twenty-five years coaching in the NBA is no small feat. Rivers has coached 1,896 regular-season games across stints with the Magic, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, and now the Bucks, amassing 1,114 wins. This places him 8th all-time in NBA coaching wins and 4th in playoff victories, with 113 postseason wins to his name.
Yet, postseason shortcomings are often highlighted when critiquing Rivers’ record. His 113-108 playoff record and the fact that three of his teams have blown 3-1 series leads are frequently mentioned. However, the criticism that seems to bother him the most is the perception that his career has “come up short“ due to only winning one NBA championship.
“But I’ve never come up short, in my opinion. Come up short? What does that mean? Like, we didn’t win a title? I go back in Philly. I took that job after we lost in the first round 4-0 (to the Celtics in 2020 under Brett Brown). The next year, we win the East in the regular season. All right. We are one game away from the Eastern finals,” Rivers said in an interview with The Athletic’s Eric Nehm.
Head coach Doc Rivers of the Boston Celtics celebrates with his team at the end of Game Six of the 2008 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers on June 17, 2008 at TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeated the Lakers 131-92 to win the NBA Championship.
Rivers explained that, after many years in the NBA, anything short of a title draws criticism: “So there’s times where I’m like we’re being evaluated on a different standard. And the great news is I’ve created that standard. So for me, that’s good. But then when the narrative comes that you can’t do it, that’s bulls—. Because I’ve done it and I can do it. It’s just hard to do it. It’s just hard. So I’ve always looked at it that way.“
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Rivers on playoff struggles
Outside of his 2008 championship with the Celtics against the Los Angeles Lakers, Rivers has only reached the NBA Finals once more, in 2010, where Boston fell to the Lakers in seven games. While some might see that as underachievement after 25 seasons, Rivers views his career through a different lens.
“My numbers don’t lie. I’ve coached for 25 years and I’ve had two losing seasons. And the two losing seasons, we were trying to lose, yeah. So I’ve made the playoffs — whatever, I don’t even know — 21 out of 25 years. It’s almost like Deion Sanders said in that interview. There’s nothing you can say or do that’s going to take away from what I’ve done, and I’ll never allow that,” he stated in The Athletic.
Despite reflecting on his past achievements, Rivers is focused on the future and hungry for more success: “Having said that, I want to do more. And to do more, you have to put yourself in situations where you’re going to be criticized if you don’t do it. And I’m fine with that.”
Bucks’ preparation for the 2024-25 season
Rivers stepped in to replace Mike Budenholzer as head coach midway through last season, coaching just 36 games before the Bucks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Indiana Pacers. Heading into this season, Rivers is determined to take the team further.
“I watched all 82 games literally right after the season. I think I started a day after the (final) Indiana game and I watched all 82 games and probably went back and watched over 30 of those games again,” Rivers said. “Took notes — things they did well, things they didn’t do well. And there were things, it was visual, but that’s what I’m looking for: the common themes,” he added.
Since their 2020 championship, the Bucks have undergone significant changes. Injuries to key players at critical moments have hurt the team, and this offseason saw Jrue Holiday traded for Damian Lillard, who’s optimistic for the Bucks’ chances this season. Despite losing three of their four preseason games, Rivers is putting in the work to ensure the Bucks remain competitive.
