FIRST TAKE | “Doc Rivers caused this chaos!!!” – Stephen A. rips Bucks loss to Grizzlies 111-101

FIRST TAKE | “Doc Rivers caused this chaos!!!” – Stephen A. rips Bucks loss to Grizzlies 111-101

Yeah I’m think about yeah later in the second hour to the association jiren Jackson Jr scored 35 points to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 111 101 victory over Milwaukee last night the Bucks lost for the fourth time in their past five as they’ve tried to hold on to the

Number two seed in the East they also became just the third team in the last 30 Seasons to be a 12-point favorite on back-to-back days and lose both games in addition the Bucks were the first team to lose on consecutive days versus teams they were up 20 plus games on in the

Standing since the Cavaliers in 2010 the Bucks were with Lillard Middleton and Patrick Beverly yesterday due to injuries and Doc had some interesting comments on giannis’s health honestly and I’m not kidding I I I there were times in the beginning of the middle of the third I wanted to take

Him out of the game I thought he was running on fumes you know as a coach you got to make a judgment call sometimes and and medical makes the call more you know they kept saying he’s okay but I have eyes and I just didn’t like the way

He was moving he kept asking to go back in the trainer said he’s fine so he kind of stuck there um but I if I wish I have just said no honestly all right doc concerned about giannis’s health Brian wi with a tie with the tie on hair Perfection cuz your

Boy Stephen A’s in studio Monica mcnut it’s been a minute I love this Jewel tone color blocking and I just want you to know we’re kind of on the same page right now Stephen A look super cute iing we have matching earrings on ref

Well hi do you too come on now how you doing how you doing oh we have so much to get into with you this tournament but we’re going to focus on the NBA right now okay uh so injury issues obviously but even when they’re all on the floor it hasn’t completely clicked Phil

Milwaukee yet so Stephen A could the Bucks be in for a first round playoff exit oh it’s entirely possible they don’t seem uh to have any Rhyme or Rhythm to what they’re doing now obviously last night neither Damen Lillard Chris Middleton nor Patrick Beverly played and Doc just told you

That yanus looked like he was running on fumes and so you take that into consideration and you know in all likelihood that’s not going to be the case come playoff time Damen L is expected to be back this Friday uh according to Doc Rivers in terms of how

He’s looked in practice uh he should be back uh in the playoff you don’t have back-to-back games or anything like that you’re not in the throws of an 82 game schedule there are times to get some additional rest so you don’t look as exhausted as they looked last night but

This team has not been in sync all year long from the very very beginning and obviously the loss of Jew holiday has had a devastating effect on them because you had a quintessential point guard from the standpoint that he’s an elite Defender and he was somebody that didn’t

Need the basketball that much in order to be effective he didn’t have to be a primary scorer so he ran the offense he led you defense L and what have you and you don’t have anybody that’s doing that for Milwaukee this season without him you don’t have anybody that’s making

Statements on the defensive side of the ball so the opposition is going on a court against them and they’re like listen we can score with them they can’t stop us so let’s go at them and what have you and it’s forcing Milwaukee to expend far more energy than I think they

Anticipated and as a result it’s been a tremendous challenge for them they’re holding off for their life to that number two seed having lost four their last five G games Cleveland is still in the mix obviously New York has been you know saddled with a bunch of injuries or

Whatever but we’ve known from the days of Miami that it doesn’t matter if you can get into the playoffs no matter what your seed is you could poent potentially knock off some of those top seeds and when you look at Milwaukee right now they look ripe to be had they got molly

They got two problems when it comes to this first round number one Joel embiid came back two days ago and I thought looked pretty good and I can’t predict the future about whether he’s going to stay healthy but I think if Joel can strengthen and get his conditioning back assuming they get

Through the play in which I believe they will if he’s healthy they’re they’re headed for the seven seed the ESPN projections have them over 40% to be the seven seed uh obviously some things got to fall into place but that could line up with Milwaukee and that’s a terrible

Break even if the Bucks were playing great even if they’d won these last two games by 20 points as they should have um it’s a bad break to get a team like the 7 Sixers who have an an artificially deflated record because the MVP was out

For for a big portion of the season and so right there you have a a 27 problem that is unfair that was is a challenge that you probably didn’t quote unquote earn as a two seed and that’s where I think the Bucks are going to be secondly

Guys we’ve talking about it on and off for the entire season they can’t keep people out of the lane this is just basic basketball if you can’t keep a guy in front of you you’re going to have a hard time in the modern NBA last night by the way the Memphis Grizzlies and

Hats off to jiren Jackson who’s had a couple of great games this week he had one of his best games of the Season he played brilliantly but they allowed 38 baskets in the paint 38 and John Morant wasn’t there okay the night before against Washington they allowed 35 and

That was without Kyle kozma and tus Jones two of their better offensive players that’s not acceptable and by the way Memphis came into the game averaging about 23 baskets in the paint per game which was last in the NBA they’re not even a good driving team or interior

Scoring team if you can’t keep those guys out of the paint and Dame lard not being there was obviously a factor they’re they’re one in seven when he doesn’t play so I’m not g to freak out about a loss when he’s not there since clearly they need him but it’s not like

He comes back and you that solves your perimeter defensive issues they are really challenged by the fact that they can’t keep people in front of them and that combined with a possible Joel embiid match up in the first round is worrisome it’s funny Wendy because you’re absolutely right in terms of the

76 points in the paint they gave up yeah Giannis also had five blocks in that game though which you would think on a night where Giannis is patrolling the paint you wouldn’t expect that sort of outcome look this goes back to me y’all to this thing that we do and I love it

We love sports ooh the superstars team up but I continue to think how much of an exception to the rule the kawhai Leonard Toronto Raptors operation championship at Water scenario was we’ve heard both Giannis and Dame admit that the time to jail was taking a little bit

Longer and granted Yan or excuse me Dame didn’t play last night Middleton is hurt last night as well but it just takes time and and I think when you lose a piece to your points Stephen A as significant as Drew holiday the identity of this team has sort of shifted between

Two coaches now since they were the champions of the league and your personnel it just takes time and we are seeing quietly as it’s kept we continue to harp on AG when comes to LeBron James because of the masterful things that he’s doing but janisan dumo been in

League for a minute damel lill been in league for a minute Chris Middleton been in league for a minute and so I think we’re starting to see the culmination of a team that needs more time to figure out just what they have both from a health standpoint and how to be most

Effective as new teammates and a new head coach and other teams that are basically hunting them out and so I agree with both of you it is not out of the realm of possibility that they could be looking at a first round exit but I continue to think that and even the

Teams that are at the top of the league right now it takes time for these teams to gel and begin to play their best basketball got to figure out I mean listen at the end of the day they don’t look impressive um and you know again if

If it’s me and it’s Doc Rivers I’m protecting my Superstar at all cost he shouldn’t have listened to Medical he shouldn’t even listen to Giannis your eyes are telling you this brother looks spent he looks exhausted sit him sit them it’s one game during the regular

Season it’s April I get it you know you’re a top two seed in the Eastern Conference sit him because if you’re looking at him and he’s worn down keeping him out there doesn’t help it doesn’t help just make that call during the reg season playoffs that’s different

More on the line that’s different but at this particular juncture no you got to make that call do do you think though if you gonna make that call that there’s enough trust there in terms of Doc Rivers and Yannis an it ain’t about that

He has to earn it he has to earn it and what I mean by that is that if you’re Doc Rivers make the call anyway because Giannis may not like it but you’re going to respect somebody exercising their Authority when they’re making the case that they’re doing it in your best

Interest okay and you’re doing that all of a sudden you might not have liked it last night but you wake up this morning you’re like damn I’m so a little tired I mean I really do appreciate I didn’t see it that way but right now since he got

Me out of there I’m glad because you know what all right here we go okay that’s what I’m saying Wendy with the Windsor you got the final word if you’re a bucks fan you’re paying very close attention to Miami tonight these heat and and uh 76ers are playing whoever

Wins that game is going to have a better chance at reaching the six seed as a reminder and the heat are playing better right now as they getting healthier the heat were the team that took the Bucks out in the first round last year good point um and that’s that that’s who

Milwaukee’s lining up with likely one of those two teams and talk about it’s Miami or Philadelphia so either way based on the way Milwaukee is looking they could be in a world of trouble going home in the first round and we’re going to talk about Milwaukee later and

How Jimmy Butler was you know on a horse just chilling him I you mean Miami Miami yeah yeah yeah what milwauke you said I met Miami you know you got you got Milwaukee color met Miami we got you but he’s just living his best life on a

Horse and traffic in Miami like list I was there Tuesday the only person that was listed question over priz to that game was Tyler hero they’re doing the Miami thing getting healthy turning it on Jimmy UPS his productivity in the month of April like they’re doing the

Thing yeah we’ll dive into that in a little bit all right coming up here on first take Aaron Rogers foree e you will never know what’s on my mind fortune favors me First Blood don’t blink get over an enemy has been defeated I’m just getting started your team has destroyed a

Tower know where to hide an ally has been defeated defeated surprise ultimate you the Dragon curtain time lit on on Victory for oh V fore does anyone else feel that draft H not to self golden armor is stupidly heavy your tower has been destroyed screen First Blood you have been defeated well f

G an ally has been defeated you have been defeated watch my an enemy has been defeated you have defeated an enemy double kill no your team has destroyed a tower victory for

FIRST TAKE | “Doc Rivers caused this chaos!!!” – Stephen A. rips Bucks loss to Grizzlies 111-101