Rivers seems pleased with his young core.
The Milwaukee Bucks have had one of the most frustrating seasons in the NBA, but Saturday night in Phoenix gave them something worth talking about.
Milwaukee knocked off the Phoenix Suns 108-105, snapping a stretch where they had lost 10 of their last 12 games and doing it without Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Porter Jr., and Bobby Portis.
After the game, head coach Doc Rivers kept things simple when asked about how his team pulled it off.
"Yeah, I just thought it was a team win. Everybody kind of pitched in," Rivers said.
He then pointed to how the Cavaliers loss earlier in the week shaped how the coaching staff approached late-game situations.
"After the Cavs game, we talked a little bit about the reps in the clutch for Ryan Rollins and Kevin."
Rollins Leads the Way
That extra attention in the clutch clearly paid off for Rollins, who turned in one of his best all-around performances of the season with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists on 10-of-19 shooting.
He also came through when it mattered the most, hitting a tough floater with 23.8 seconds left to push the Bucks ahead 107-104 and then sealing it with a free throw.
For a 23-year-old who is averaging 16.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists on the season, it was the kind of game that solidifies his case as a legitimate Most Improved Player candidate.
Kyle Kuzma also played a big role, scoring 17 of his 20 points in the first half to help Milwaukee dig out of a 13-point hole, though he left in the third quarter with tightness in his right Achilles tendon.
The Bucks scored 42 points in the second quarter alone and committed zero turnovers in that period, which was a far cry from the sloppy play that defined their loss to the Jazz just two days earlier.
Dieng's Defense Stands Out
One of the more exciting takeaways was the play of Ousmane Dieng, the 22-year-old forward Milwaukee acquired at the trade deadline.
Rivers put Dieng on Devin Booker, and the assignment worked, as Booker finished with just 14 points on 4-of-17 shooting and went 0-for-5 in clutch time.
Dieng also came up with a key strip on Jalen Green late in the fourth and then scored on the break, helping the Bucks build a five-point cushion with just over two minutes left.
Since arriving in Milwaukee, Dieng has looked like a player who can grow into a real two-way contributor, especially as he gets more comfortable within the system.
A Silver Lining in a Tough Year
The Bucks sit at 29-41 and are 7.5 games behind the final play-in spot with just 12 games remaining, so this win doesn't change the math all that much.
But what it does offer is a glimpse of the developmental pieces Milwaukee can build around heading into next season.
Between Rollins' scoring and playmaking, Dieng's defensive potential, and the returning depth they will eventually get from Porter Jr. and Antetokounmpo, there are real reasons to feel encouraged about what comes next.
Sometimes the best thing a team can do in a lost season is figure out who can handle the big moments, and on Saturday, the Bucks got some answers.
The Suns, now losers of five straight and sitting at 39-32, are sliding at the worst possible time.
Milwaukee heads to the Intuit Dome on Monday to face the Los Angeles Clippers.