Patrick Beverley spoke about Doc Rivers and the Milwaukee Bucks on his podcast. Beverley noted that Rivers has been disrespected heading into the new NBA season, referencing a random GM ranking he saw where Rivers was ranked 22nd. He compared Rivers to legendary Bulls and Lakers head coach Phil Jackson and said Rivers deserves more respect and recognition.
“You gotta have Greek [Giannis] on that Christmas Day game… They’re trying to slander Doc [Rivers], I don’t know. I’ve seen some coaching rankings, they had Doc (at) 22. Dawg, I almost threw my f**king phone. Phil Jackson is Doc Rivers, man! They got to put more respect on my coach’s name. It’s getting disrespectful. They wouldn’t do Phil Jackson like that, why are they doing Doc like that? It’s wild…”
The comparison between Rivers and Phil Jackson is interesting, as Rivers is one of only two coaches in NBA history to defeat Phil Jackson in the NBA Finals, doing so in 2008 as he and the Celtics vanquished Jackson’s Lakers to win the NBA championship.
The two coaches would face off again in 2010, with Jackson getting the better of Rivers in a thrilling seven-game series that saw the Lakers beat the Celtics.
Patrick Beverley has had a close relationship with Doc Rivers for years now. Beverley first played for Rivers on the LA Clippers, when he was traded to the team as part of the Chris Paul trade. He played under Rivers for three seasons before Rivers was dismissed from the team in 2020.
Coincidentally, Beverley would be traded from the Clippers just one year later. The two would be reunited on the Milwaukee Bucks last season, as Beverley was traded from the 76ers. Pat Bev got very few minutes under Rivers, but despite this, there seems to be a strong bond between the head coach and the former NBA star.
Doc Rivers Ready To Prove The Doubters Wrong
Rivers will be entering the 2024-25 NBA season with a chip on his shoulder, much like the Bucks’ roster. After a summer of big moves from the Knicks and 76ers, the Bucks have found themselves out of the discussion as championship contenders in the East, despite having three All-Star caliber players in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, and Khris Middleton.
Rivers, who has struggled professionally as a coach over the last few years, will be eager to prove that he is still one of the great coaches in the NBA, and hopes to end what is currently a 16-year championship drought and a 14-year NBA Finals drought.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard both healthy and raring to go ahead of the new season, Rivers has two very strong weapons on his roster that he can use to dominate the rest of the East.
If players like Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, and Bobby Portis can play at their very best, there is no reason why the Bucks shouldn’t be considered championship material, even if they are not at the same elite level as the Celtics, Knicks, and 76ers.
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