The Milwaukee Bucks are 18-27 on the year following their 139-122 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night. Now, trade rumors involving Giannis Antetokounmpo are swirling again, many are preparing for another prolonged dark period of Bucks basketball. Indeed, a great deal has gone wrong in Milwaukee since they won the 2020-21 NBA Championship.
Khris Middleton, who was a three-time All-Star with the Bucks, hurt his knee in the 2022 NBA Playoffs and was never the same player. Mike Budenholzer, who coached their Championship team, was fired two years after they won it all. Giannis missed time in the postseason in multiple years due to injury. Adrian Griffin was fired after a 30-13 start. Damian Lillard tore his Achilles in the postseason last year after missing weeks with a blood clot.
And, no matter what the front office or head coach Doc Rivers have done, Milwaukee just keeps losing and underachieving.
Jae Crowder blames the Milwaukee Bucks hiring Doc Rivers for their downfall
Apr 5, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett (9) puts up a shot against Milwaukee Bucks forward Jae Crowder (99) in the first half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
One of the many moves that the Bucks made in hopes of returning to the NBA Finals was sending five second round picks to the Phoenix Suns for Jae Crowder.
Crowder’s time in Milwaukee did not go as well as anyone hoped, and when Rivers was hired as coach, he barely played at all.
Perhaps it is no surprise, then, that the former Bucks and Marquette star points to the arrival of Rivers on the Bucks bench as the point at which Milwaukee started to decline:
WE WERE 30-13 BTW. TO BRING IN DOC. THIS IS WHAT STARTED THE AVALANCHE https://t.co/BGh2ZaulRx
— JAE CROWDER (@CJC9BOSS) January 28, 2026
One needs only check out the social media of Bucks fans to see that this is an opinion that is shared by many. Indeed, Rivers went 17-19 in his first half season with Milwaukee, 48-34 last year, and is currently 18-27 this season. His overall record with the Bucks is 83-80.
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