Bucks' Doc Rivers Calls Out 'Unfair' Criticism for Blowing 3-1 Leads in NBA Playoffs

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Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers fired back at criticism that he's received for his teams blowing 3-1 series leads in the NBA playoffs throughout his career.

"It is what it is," Rivers told Andscape's Marc J. Spears. "It’s part of my legacy. There’s nothing I can do about it. I got a team that was an eight seed up 3-1. That is coaching. That is not bad coaching. The one with the Clippers is the only one that got away. But people don’t realize that Chris Paul was running on one leg [in 2015 with the Clippers] and we were also the underdog in that series. When you think about it, Houston had home court, not us."


The former Coach of the Year winner also pointed out that he's never been swept in the playoffs.

"No one tells a real story," Rivers explained. "And I’m fine with that. It’s unfair in some ways. I don’t get enough credit for getting the three wins. I get credit for losing. I always say, ‘What if we had lost to Houston in six?’ No one cares. One of the things that I’m proud of is we’ve never been swept. All the coaches have been swept in the playoffs. My teams achieve. A lot of them overachieve and I’m very proud of that."
Rivers' teams have blown 3-1 series leads on three separate occasions since he secured his first heading coaching role in 1999.

The 63-year-old's first blown 3-1 lead occurred when he was head coach of the Orlando Magic during the 2003 playoffs. The No. 8 seed Magic took three of the first four contests against the No. 1 Detroit Pistons before losing the final three games of the series by 61 combined points.

Rivers later served as head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, owning a 3-1 series advantage over the Houston Rockets in the 2015 Western Conference semifinals before blowing the lead.

The Clippers also jumped out to a 3-1 lead during a second-round series against the Denver Nuggets in 2020. They dropped two games before finishing with just 89 points in Game 7, as stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George combined to shoot a mere 10-of-38 from the field.


 

LexDiamonds

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Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers fired back at criticism that he's received for his teams blowing 3-1 series leads in the NBA playoffs throughout his career.

"It is what it is," Rivers told Andscape's Marc J. Spears. "It’s part of my legacy. There’s nothing I can do about it. I got a team that was an eight seed up 3-1. That is coaching. That is not bad coaching. The one with the Clippers is the only one that got away. But people don’t realize that Chris Paul was running on one leg [in 2015 with the Clippers] and we were also the underdog in that series. When you think about it, Houston had home court, not us."


The former Coach of the Year winner also pointed out that he's never been swept in the playoffs.

"No one tells a real story," Rivers explained. "And I’m fine with that. It’s unfair in some ways. I don’t get enough credit for getting the three wins. I get credit for losing. I always say, ‘What if we had lost to Houston in six?’ No one cares. One of the things that I’m proud of is we’ve never been swept. All the coaches have been swept in the playoffs. My teams achieve. A lot of them overachieve and I’m very proud of that."
Rivers' teams have blown 3-1 series leads on three separate occasions since he secured his first heading coaching role in 1999.

The 63-year-old's first blown 3-1 lead occurred when he was head coach of the Orlando Magic during the 2003 playoffs. The No. 8 seed Magic took three of the first four contests against the No. 1 Detroit Pistons before losing the final three games of the series by 61 combined points.

Rivers later served as head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, owning a 3-1 series advantage over the Houston Rockets in the 2015 Western Conference semifinals before blowing the lead.

The Clippers also jumped out to a 3-1 lead during a second-round series against the Denver Nuggets in 2020. They dropped two games before finishing with just 89 points in Game 7, as stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George combined to shoot a mere 10-of-38 from the field.


This man wants praise for getting 3 wins in a series :mjlol:
 

King Poetic

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He’s a black coach so I’ll let doc slide even though those 3-1 leads are unacceptable

Seeing Marvin Lewis go 0-7 in the playoffs

And now Mike Tomlin going through 5 straight playoff losses

Im like damn brothers
 
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I don’t even mind the logic behind what he’s arguing, because losing 3-4 in a series is still the same no matter if you’re alternating wins, down 1-3 or up 3-1.

Ultimately, it’s all the same result.

The problem is in the nature of him being an active coach in the league, yet still has this type of defeatist attitude, as if he’s content with only winning three games in a series. No franchise should ever put someone in a head coaching role who excuses their losing in this manner.

Ole Participation trophy ass coaching nxgga.
 
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Don Homer

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They were the 3rd Seed (Rockets were 2nd Seed)
it doesnt even matter because they were up 3-1 AND in game 6 they had a 19 point lead in the 2nd half. they collapsed and HOU forced game 7

EDIT: and to add insult to injury, Harden was benched because he was choking that game. The combination of Cory Brewer, Josh Smith, Trevor Ariza, Pablo Prigione, Jason Terry, and a 3rd string center who i cant remember the name of outscored the Clippers starters and forced that game 7. Dwight howard got ejected as well i think
 
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