At some point, Doc Rivers has to try something different. The Milwaukee Bucks just got bullied by the Memphis Grizzlies. Before that, they were torched by the San Antonio Spurs. This team is giving up size advantages every night, and their coach isn’t making the necessary adjustments.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ 132-119 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies wasn’t just another bad defensive outing—it was a flashing red warning sign. The Grizzlies grabbed 22 offensive rebounds, dominated with size and speed and exposed Milwaukee’s biggest flaw: they are getting bullied inside.
The Grizzlies, a young, energetic squad, simply outclassed the Bucks in every facet. They dominated the glass, particularly on the offensive end, exposing the Milwaukee Bucks' alarming lack of size and athleticism. Bobby Portis' absence was keenly felt, but even when he's healthy, the Bucks struggle to match the physicality and athleticism of the league's rising stars.
And yet, with Bobby Portis out for personal reasons, Rivers still didn’t turn to Tyler Smith or Chris Livingston, two young, athletic forwards who, at the very least, can rebound.
Doc Rivers has easy answers on the bench, but he's been refusing to try
Instead, as we've seen time and time again, he turned to veteran Pat Connaughton — to largely mixed results. Planet Pat has been an up-and-down player for most of this season, and while he does have his moments, he isn't exactly what you'd think of when you need a backup at power forward. And that's exactly the problem for the Milwaukee Bucks right now.
The Milwaukee Bucks, in this latest slump, have a glaring need for size and energy off the bench. The absence of Portis should have made this an easy choice. Instead, Rivers stuck with a veteran-heavy rotation that was too slow to recover on defense and too tired to close the game strong.
Chris Livingston, a strong, physical wing, and Tyler Smith, an intriguing young big with stretch potential, are exactly the types of players the Milwaukee Bucks should be experimenting with. But instead of seeing whether one of them could help, Rivers leaned on the same veteran-heavy rotations that have been getting destroyed in fourth quarters.
At this point, it's tough to argue that this is just a one-game issue. The Bucks are 23rd in opponent fast break points in the fourth quarter on top of being dead last in the NBA in fourth-quarter scoring, averaging just 25.7 points per game in the final period. That’s a disaster for a supposed title contender.
Their veterans’ legs are clearly wearing down late in games, but Rivers hasn’t adjusted. Instead of injecting fresh, young energy into the lineup, he’s playing it safe—and losing because of it. Even rookie AJ Johnson could, in theory, inject some energy into this Milwaukee Bucks lineup.
No one is saying Smith or Livingston will be immediate game-changers. But at this point, what do the Bucks have to lose? They've already given some of their bench guys a real chance, but not the ones who can actually plug their holes in the frontcourt.
This isn't a call to completely abandon the veterans; it's a call for a necessary evolution. The Bucks need to find the right balance between experience and youth, and that starts with giving these young players a real opportunity to shine.
If Rivers keeps running the same rotations and expecting different results, the Milwaukee Bucks might find themselves slipping further than they ever imagined. It’s time to try something new.
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