Nikola Jokic thwarted Doc Rivers’ debut as the Milwaukee coach by registering his 14th triple-double of the season, leading the Denver Nuggets to a 113-107 victory over the Bucks on Monday night.
Jokic concluded the game with 25 points, 16 rebounds, and 12 assists, while Jamal Murray contributed 35 points, aiding Denver in establishing a lead with an 8-0 run in the late stages of the contest.
This game presented an opportunity for Rivers to evaluate his team, constructed with a focus on immediate success. Recruited from his role as an analyst, Rivers replaced first-year Bucks coach Adrian Griffin, who was dismissed after 43 games with a 30-13 record.
In his 25th season as an NBA head coach, Rivers displayed a range of emotions on the sideline, alternately folding his arms, placing his hands on his knees, or on his hips. He engaged with interim coach Joe Prunty, knelt at times, applauded, and expressed frustration over a foul called on Brook Lopez late in the game.
Rivers witnessed his team squander an early 13-point lead, fall behind by as much as nine, make a comeback, and ultimately get halted by Aaron Gordon’s block of a Damian Lillard layup with 24.7 seconds left.
The defeat kept Rivers at 1,097 wins, one away from tying Larry Brown for the eighth-most wins among NBA coaches.
Despite dealing with an illness, Giannis Antetokounmpo contributed 29 points and 12 rebounds for the Bucks, who started a five-game road trip. The “Greek Freak” played nearly 37 minutes, entertaining the crowd with a dynamic performance. Antetokounmpo, named NBA player of the week for the East, played despite uncertainty about his availability leading up to the game.
Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez added 19 points, including five of their 16 three-pointers, while Damian Lillard finished with 18 points.
Rivers acknowledged that it would take time to integrate his coaching style with the Bucks’ existing play, emphasizing the importance of cohesion and simplicity in their approach. He highlighted the team’s awareness of their capabilities, featuring several key players, including Antetokounmpo, from the 2020-21 NBA championship-winning squad.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone expressed sympathy for Griffin’s short coaching stint with the Bucks but expressed confidence in Rivers quickly getting the team back on track. Malone, who achieved his 400th win as coach of the Nuggets on Monday, welcomed Rivers back to the sideline, emphasizing his effectiveness in that role.
