MILWAUKEE (AP) 鈥� Doc Rivers left broadcasting behind when he as the Milwaukee Bucks鈥� coach at midseason, but he remains as talkative as ever.
That chattiness has helped the Bucks dramatically improve their defense since his arrival in late January. The Bucks have won six straight games and own the NBA鈥檚 best defensive rating since the All-Star break.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of talking with Doc,鈥� All-Star guard Damian Lillard said Monday night after the Bucks rallied for a over the Los Angeles Clippers without injured two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. 鈥淪ometimes we get on the court and we鈥檙e supposed to be starting practice, and Doc will talk for 15 minutes straight.鈥�
Lillard detailed the way Rivers will tell players about their responsibilities in certain situations while explaining how their roles fit into the overall defensive scheme.
鈥淪ometimes you need what we want to happen to make sense verbally,鈥� Lillard said. 鈥淭hen we walk through it, and then you get an understanding of it. And that鈥檚 how you build that faith and that belief, and you get on the same page. I think he鈥檚 created an environment where everybody understands. Everything is clear. We walk through it 10, 15 times in practice, and then we鈥檙e able to go out there and execute it because of how it鈥檚 being delivered to us.鈥�
Milwaukee staggered into the All-Star break, going 3-7 in its first 10 games under Rivers, who left his job at ESPN to take over the Bucks after the . But the Bucks haven鈥檛 lost since the break and have moved into second place in the Eastern Conference, behind the Boston Celtics.
Although the Bucks were 30-13 when , their struggles on defense cast doubt on their viability as a title contender. Under Griffin, the Bucks ranked 21st in the league in defensive rating, which measures points allowed per 100 possessions.
They鈥檝e come a long way over the last few weeks.
Their six-game winning streak included four straight games in which they allowed fewer than 100 points, the first such streak for the Bucks since February 2018. Milwaukee has allowed below 100 points in six of its last 10 games after doing that just once in its first 52 contests.
The Bucks finally gave up more than 100 points Monday against the Clippers while Antetokounmpo was out with left Achilles tendinitis, but they still showed their adaptability by utilizing a zone during their comeback. The Bucks have improved defensively even without three-time All-Star Khris Middleton, who has missed 11 straight games with a sprained left ankle.
Players say Rivers simplified things and clarified everyone鈥檚 assignments on defense.
鈥淓verything is black and white,鈥� guard Malik Beasley said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no gray areas. We know what we鈥檙e doing on back picks. We know what we鈥檙e doing on pick-and-rolls. We know who鈥檚 doing what and who鈥檚 doing this. It鈥檚 starting to become second nature. When you have a good defensive team like that, that鈥檚 what happens. Everybody鈥檚 connected, just like on offense.鈥�
Milwaukee also boosted its perimeter defense by acquiring Patrick Beverley, a three-time All-Defensive Team selection. The Bucks already had plenty of defensive firepower in the frontcourt with Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez, who finished second in last year鈥檚 voting.
Rivers believes the Bucks鈥� defense can get even better.
鈥淥ur catch-and-shoot defense still has to improve,鈥� Rivers said. 鈥淥ur recognition of bad matchups has to improve. And then at the basket, I think we can be a little more physical if they will allow us to be.鈥�
The Bucks face a major test to maintain that No. 2 spot in the East as they enter a difficult portion of their schedule. They open a four-game California trip Wednesday at Golden State. Ten of their next 11 contests are against teams with winning records.
Milwaukee faced a similarly tough stretch immediately after Rivers鈥� arrival and struggled. The team appears much more prepared for this latest challenge.
鈥淲e鈥檝e simplified a lot of things,鈥� Lillard said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e, I guess, just bought into some of the schemes. I don鈥檛 think the guys weren鈥檛 bought in (before) but I think we鈥檙e seeing that it鈥檚 working. We鈥檙e seeing that it fits for us.鈥�
___
AP NBA:
Steve Megargee, The Associated Press
