It’s no secret how trying the start of the season has been for the Milwaukee Bucks, and a new low was reached in Monday’s disastrous 129-126 loss to a Washington Wizards team that has populated the bottom of the league standings for multiple seasons now. As a result, the Bucks are now four games below .500 on the season at 9-13 overall.

Following the game, Doc Rivers did his best to attempt an explanation regarding his team’s dud of a performance. When asked how the Bucks can prevent some of the stretches that have proven so costly for the team in recent weeks, Rivers emphasized that the team needs to be better when coming out of the timeouts that he calls to offer them some reprieve.

“You (can) call timeouts,” Rivers said. “We do that. We didn't execute well out of timeouts tonight, which is something we usually do. Early in the first half, we did. We got a couple of threes out of the timeout. We got a three to start the third quarter. That was an ATO. But overall, honestly, I didn't think we had great focus out of timeouts. We missed stuff.”

Rivers expressed further disappointment, insisting that his team simply didn’t bring the necessary energy required to get a win against any team at the NBA level, whether it's a team headed for the top of the lottery or an NBA Finals contender.

“I just didn't think we played with the right something,” Rivers said. “I could feel it. I asked them at halftime, I said, ‘Guys, do you think we're playing right or well? I don't.’ We’ve got to click in to playing right, every possession. I just didn't think we did. So, that's on me. I’ve got to figure out a way of getting them to do it.”

Complimenting The Youth

Despite the Wizards’ recent trials and tribulations as a franchise, Rivers made sure to compliment young defensive stalwart Bilal Coulibaly and the rest of the team’s youth movement after Coulibaly made the game-winning defensive play.

“(Coulibaly) just plays hard,” Rivers said. “Physical, long arms, athletic, strong. Today, they were (all) fantastic. They just play hard. They're a young team that has no fear. There's no pressure on them with their record. So, they just come out and play. If you let a team like that get close, they'll beat you.”

Regardless of whatever the explanation is, losing to the Wizards is unacceptable.