DENVER – Doc Rivers was appointed the new Milwaukee Bucks head coach not to cure any tactical or mental ailments that the team may be suffering from, but to further improve a “very coachable team”.
That was his view even as he suffered defeat in his first game in charge on Jan 29, when Nikola Jokic scored a 25-point triple double as the Denver Nuggets clinched a 113-107 National Basketball Association (NBA) home win.
The heavyweight showdown between the reigning NBA champions and 2021 champions Milwaukee did not disappoint, with two-time Most Valuable Player Jokic dominating at both ends of the floor.
The Serbian star had 16 rebounds and 12 assists to seal his 14th triple double of the season while making three steals and two blocks.
He was given scoring support from Jamal Murray, who led with a game-high 35 points.
The Bucks, who appointed Rivers last week following the shock sacking of Adrian Griffin, were led by 29 points from Giannis Antetokounmpo while Damian Lillard finished with 18 points.
Despite the loss, Rivers was encouraged by Milwaukee’s performance. “Overall I was very happy,” he said. “That fight is there. That’s something really encouraging moving forward. They’re great. They’re a very coachable team.”
The former Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers coach is in his 25th season as a head coach.
He alternated from folding his arms, to putting his hands on his knees, and then on his hips as he paced up and down the sideline.
He even kneeled, clapped and was in deep conversation with Joe Prunty, who was the interim coach before he joined.
“He did a great job commanding the team, leading the team,” forward Khris Middleton told ESPN.
“It’s going to take time for us to get used to him and him to see what we’ve been doing and how we’ve been successful so far this season and in the past.”
In the Western Conference top-of-the-table clash, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 37-point display was in vain as the Oklahoma City Thunder fell 107-101 to the Minnesota Timberwolves at home.
The two sides went into the game with identical 32-14 records, having spent most of the season battling it out for first place in the West. The Nuggets are second with a 33-15 tally.
The game swung back and forth with 24 lead changes before Minnesota pulled away in the closing stages, outscoring the Thunder 34-24 in the fourth quarter.
“We did a really good job of finishing this game, which we haven’t been doing recently,” Minnesota head coach Chris Finch said. “Hopefully we can build on it.”
Anthony Edwards topped the Wolves scoring with 27 points while Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 21. All five Minnesota starters finished in double digits.
Elsewhere, Boston bounced back from a blowout defeat by the Clippers with a battling 118-112 home victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Eastern Conference-leading Celtics improved to 36-11 for the season courtesy of 28 points from Jayson Tatum, with Jaylen Brown adding 22 and Jrue Holiday 20.
The Pelicans led for long periods and were up by 17 in the second quarter, before Boston conjured a 37-point fourth quarter to sweep past them.
Derrick White was instrumental in the fightback for Boston, nailing 13 of his 17 points in the final period. He said: “Things weren’t going well for us for most of the game, but we stuck together.
“It’s not always going to be perfect. We just gotta find new ways to win each and every game, and we did that today.”
Brandon Ingram (28 points) and Zion Williamson (26) led the Pelicans scoring.
In Houston, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers stumbled to a 135-119 loss to the Rockets.
James was one of three Lakers players to finish on 23 points, along with Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell. Jalen Green led the Rockets with 34 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists and was aided by Alperen Sengun’s 31 points and 12 rebounds.
The loss dropped the Lakers to 24-24 and ninth in the West. AFP
