Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers acknowledged the team’s late-game lapses in Tuesday’s 123-116 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Fiserv Forum.
“I think it was tied at 100 with about seven minutes left to 17-6 to them over the next five… we didn’t get stops number one and we couldn’t make baskets,” Rivers said.
Despite the result, Rivers praised his team’s overall performance: “I loved how we played. We moved the ball. We played together… we missed what four free throws down the stretch, and we had three or four bad possessions where we just took quick shots.”
Rivers highlighted Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins for their development under challenging circumstances: “It’s going to be a great learning experience for them… they’ve had it all year, and now they’re together. Both playing. Hopefully, we can keep Scoot on the floor the rest of the year.”
Rivers also commented on Porter Jr.’s impact: “Just getting comfortable. Another ball handler, a guy that makes shots… big. I thought he was terrific defensively. Yeah, it was good to see him back.”
The coach noted adjustments in the lineup to address Cleveland’s small-ball approach: “We knew they were small… we wanted scoring off the bench. Bobby and Ousmane gave us a lift, and that’s exactly what they did.”
Rivers acknowledged the difficulty of playing short-handed without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner: “Really happy. Cleveland’s a heck of a basketball team, and they jumped on us early… had a lead going into the fourth. I would have really loved to win that game… they have James and Donovan who take games over, and we just don’t have that on the floor at the end of games.”
The Bucks stayed competitive through multiple lead changes but could not contain Cleveland’s late surge. “We lost their shooters two or three times… just for you, having us back out there, felt like a pretty great night for him,” Rivers added, referring to the bench contributions and rotations.
Milwaukee fell to 28-40 without Giannis, who missed his 32nd game of the season with a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise, while Myles Turner was sidelined with a right calf strain. Kevin Porter Jr. led the Bucks with 25 points and 10 assists, and Ryan Rollins contributed 19 points.
Rivers concluded with cautious optimism about upcoming adjustments: “Hopefully, we can keep Scoot on the floor the rest of the year. That would be great… it’s just going to be a learning experience in these next few games.”
