Something hasn't been right with the Milwaukee Bucks all year. They're often slow, unorganized, and devoid of energy. No one feels like they are on the same page on a nightly basis, and their ugly 18-25 record shows it. It's at a point where even the players are starting to point it out. Following the Bucks' latest loss, a frustrated Giannis Antetokounmpo didn't hold back.
"We aren't doing the right thing. We're not playing to win. We're not playing together. Our chemistry's not there. Guys are being selfish, trying to look for their own shots instead of looking for the right shot for the team. Guys trying to do it on their own."
Bucks are going nowhere with everything as constructed
The Bucks can't blame their issues on being one of the oldest teams in the NBA anymore. Players like Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, and Damian Lillard are gone. Management spent the summer making a youth movement become reality. Yet, one could argue that they lack even more energy and burst than they have in recent years.
Doc Rivers should shoulder plenty of the blame for this. A coach is the ultimate motivator and the guy who is supposed to have his players organized and ready to go. The Bucks are neither of those things on what seems like a nightly basis. On top of that, Milwaukee's concepts are stale and unimpactful to an unfathomable degree. Other teams have them figured out before they even step on the court.
It remains baffling that there has been no chatter whatsoever about a mid-season coaching change. No, firing Doc Rivers won't suddenly catapult this team to the top of the standings, but it's clear that they're going nowhere with him at the helm. These aren't issues that have plagued the Bucks for 43 games this season. They've been around from the moment Rivers accepted the coaching job.
These types of issues were not constantly being brought up under Mike Budenholzer. Ironically, one of Budenholzer's famous quotes was "Play random," regarding Milwaukee's style of play. However, in the years since his departure, the Bucks have played far more random basketball, simply throwing whatever they can at the wall and hoping it sticks, than they ever did during the Budenholzer era.
The Milwaukee Bucks need to do something. If they are firm on Rivers staying, they at least need to shake up the roster to try something new. The current group is seven games below .500 and has one of the worst records in the NBA against teams above .500. There have to be moves out there that can give this team a needed shot in the arm if competing for the postseason is indeed the goal.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.