Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers pointed to his team’s sharp execution on offense after surviving the Atlanta Hawks 112-110 on Monday.
“Yeah, I thought it was great execution. We had a bad defense two of them really, you know, helping on Daniels leaving, but offensively we ran exactly what we wanted to run and we got exactly what we were looking for,” commented the Bucks head coach during his post-game availability.
Despite surrendering a 23-point advantage, Rivers praised his team for settling in and making the necessary adjustments late in the fourth quarter.
“We had that stretch, you know, mid fourth, where we couldn’t score. I didn’t think we went away from what we were doing and then when we went right back to it, we got everything we wanted,” Rivers continued.
Doc Rivers on the Bucks’ tactics
Dec 21, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
On the topic of balancing adjustments to opponents’ defense with maintaining long-term consistency, Rivers acknowledged that it’s a work in progress. He noted that while the team can execute a plan successfully on a single night, sustaining it over multiple games remains uncertain, as they haven’t yet shown enough consistency to make it a long-term strategy.
Rivers also stressed how central Giannis Antetokounmpo is to the Bucks’ pick-and-roll attack. He explained that the action involving Kevin Porter Jr. was drawn up to open a driving lane to the rim, with shooters spaced in the corners if the defense collapsed.
Feb 12, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers draws up a play with forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 21 points and 17 rebounds to lead Milwaukee, with six additional Bucks reaching double figures.
AJ Green and Bobby Portis delivered timely three pointers late in the fourth quarter, helping the Bucks regain control down the stretch.
For the Hawks, Nickeil Alexander-Walker poured in 32 points and Jalen Johnson posted 28 points and 16 rebounds, though the Hawks were unable to stop a fourth consecutive defeat.
Milwaukee climbs to 18-24 and will host the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.