Doc Rivers called out his team’s execution after the Milwaukee Bucks dropped a 122-115 home loss to the Houston Rockets on Sunday at Fiserv Forum. “It was a game that I thought was very winnable for us,” Rivers said, highlighting frustration with offensive stoppages and defensive lapses.
Kevin Durant led Houston with 31 points and seven assists, including a clutch pull-up jumper in the final moments to secure the win. Rivers noted Durant’s effectiveness and admitted the Bucks struggled to contain him late. “I thought we were very average in our coverages on Durant. He’s good, so he doesn’t need much help,” Rivers said.
Milwaukee shot 55.7% overall and made 13 of 29 from three, but Rivers pointed to turnovers and free-throw struggles as key factors. “In the second half, we turned it over and they kept getting offensive rebounds. That made it a tough game to win,” he explained. The Bucks finished 14 of 24 at the line, with Giannis Antetokounmpo missing crucial free throws in the final 89 seconds.
Rivers also criticized the team’s lack of ball movement in the second half. “We didn’t execute anything. The ball stayed on one side, and everybody tried to make a play,” he said, noting the contrast with 20 assists on 24 first-half buckets versus just five assists after halftime.
Despite 37 points and eight rebounds from Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee was unable to regain momentum against a balanced Rockets lineup. Alperen Sengun added 23 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, while Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard each scored 16 to complement Durant’s performance. Amen Thompson chipped in 14 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.
Rivers described the loss as self-inflicted and emphasized accountability. “This is a self-inflicted loss by us, and we have to own that. All of us, coaches, players, everybody,” he said. Key moments, like a late Durant charge call that led to a three-point play, compounded the Bucks’ struggles.
Houston improved to 6-3 after outscoring Milwaukee 22-7 over the final 4:33, while Milwaukee fell to 6-4 and faces a road matchup at Dallas on Monday.
Rivers said the team must focus on execution and fundamentals moving forward. “I think whoever said it, you know, five assists in the second half, 20 in the first, I don’t think much more needs to be said,” he said.
