Bucks' Doc Rivers takes blame for Damian Lillard failure late vs. Bulls

12/29/2024 01:38 PM

After losing to the Chicago Bulls 116-111, Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers took responsibility for All-Star guard Damian Lillard's lack of possessions down the fourth quarter stretch. After a four-game absence, Lillard returned against the Bulls but couldn't get the ball in his hands in the second half of the final frame. Rivers says that's on him.

The Bucks head coach revealed he needs to do a better job in those situations, per The Athletic's Eric Nehm.

"That's gotta be better. One thing I would say is I gotta be better, making sure Dame gets the ball in his hands down the stretch of the game," Rivers said. "We drew two plays up to get him on the secondary [action] because they were loading up, and he never got it. We have to have an understanding to get it to him, and I gotta get it to him and live with it."

With Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo on the mend this week, Lillard's 29 points led four Bucks players in double figures in Saturday's loss, including Brook Lopez (22 points), Khris Middleton (21 points), and Bobby Portis (14).

Still, Rivers says Milwaukee's defensive struggles gave the Bulls a path to victory.

"It felt like we were playing with fool's gold the entire night. I thought defensively we had no presence the entire night…I just didn't think we controlled the ball. I don't even think it was the pick-and-rolls. I thought we never controlled the ball."

Three of the Bulls' five starters finished with 22+ points against the Bucks, including Nikola Vucevic's double-double (23 points, 13 rebounds), Josh Giddey's triple-double (22 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists), and Coby White's 22 points.

Damian Lillard says illness led to weight loss ahead of facing Bulls

Bucks All-Star Damian Lillard flirted with a triple-double (29 points, 12 assists, six rebounds) in Saturday's loss to the Bulls. Before playing in his first game since the Bucks beat the Thunder in the NBA Cup final, Lillard revealed he had difficulty catching his breath ahead of Thursday's matchup against the Nets, which resulted in him missing his fourth game.

Coupled with a calf injury and the illness, Lillard's road to recovery wasn't easy, per The Athletic's Eric Nehm.

"I've never been that sick before in my entire life," Lillard said. "I wasn't throwing up, nothing. I just didn't eat for two days. I didn't eat at all, and I didn't get up. Nothing. I was down. It was bad."

They will face the Pacers on Tuesday.

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