Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers spoke after his team’s 119-101 loss to the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center on Thursday, noting that poor shooting and unnecessary fouls played a major role in the outcome.
“The fouling and then that last six minutes of the second quarter, they got away from us. The fouling killed us,” commented the Bucks head coach during his postgame availability.
Rivers defended his team’s effort, saying they competed hard despite the lopsided score. “I thought we were very competitive to start the game. We came out right tonight. And then they made everything, we missed everything, and we got dispirited,”
Doc Rivers on the Bucks loss to the Spurs
Dec 14, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Milwaukee Bucks Head Coach Doc Rivers looks on during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
The coach broke down Milwaukee’s offensive struggles, pointing to poor shot selection and missed opportunities as key issues. “We had 48 threes, 40 were really good shots, and they didn’t go in. So it’s a big miss league. I really loved the game plan. I thought we played the right way overall,” Rivers continued.
Doc Rivers also commended Giannis Antetokounmpo for his leadership on and off the court stating, “Giannis has taken a more vocal role this year. He’ll never be tuned out. What he says is never anything that’s not about winning.”
Apr 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) exits the game in the fourth quarter as head coach Doc Rivers shakes his hand during game four against the Indiana Pacers of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Milwaukee struggled to keep up with San Antonio’s sharp shooting, making just 39 percent of their field goals and 35 percent from three-point range. Giannis Antetokounmpo paced the Bucks with 21 points, while Kyle Kuzma added 18 and Bobby Portis chipped in 13. The Spurs shot 51 percent overall, hit 43 percent of their threes, and went 23 of 27 from the free-throw line.
The loss dropped the Bucks to 17-24, leaving them 11th in the Eastern Conference.
The Milwaukee Bucks will face the Atlanta Hawks on Monday.