Doc Rivers is not worried that the Milwaukee Bucks are 0-8 against the top three teams in the Eastern Conference. So is Damian Lillard.
Oct 28, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers talks to Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) during the first half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
For them, it is still the elimination round and it will be a long stretch before the playoffs.
The team bowed to the New York Knicks for the second time this season, with both instances are losses by double digits.
They lost three times each against the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers although one can say that the Bucks could have won one or two games against those Eastern contenders.
Lillard is clinging to that statement. He is not that worried that they have a losing record in the elimination round against the Top 3. He is charging it from experience.
Talking to reporters post-game, Lillard brought up his time with Portland Trailblazers to put into perspective their current record versus the top teams in their conference.
Apr 23, 2019; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) reacts after making a three-point shot over Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George (13) to defeat Oklahoma City Thunder 118-115 in game five of the first round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
It was in the 2018-2019 season when the Blazers lost four times to the Oklahoma City Thunder led by Paul George and Russell Westbrook at that time. The playoffs are like a different league and the Blazers and Lillard made sure to elevate their play and beat the Thunder in five games in the first round.
That run includes his epic walk-off game winner in front of Paul George.
Damian Lillard said they should learn lessons from those losses
Lillard is not dismissing those losses though. He said they should still make dent on their mindset as the season goes along.
“I think for us, we’ve just got to understand how a lot of these games have gone. Against New York, we’ve struggled,” he said as quoted by The Athletic’s Eric Nehm.
Dec 31, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
It is not just the bad habits that the Bucks must take note of. Even the things they did right that almost won them the games.
“Against Cleveland, I feel like we’ve played really well. … Against Boston, we’ve been in all of those games. A possession here, a possession there, we could have won all of those games. I think it’s a long season, it’s a journey. When we look at our matchups with those teams, we’ve just gotta understand what it was.”
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