The end of the season is nearly here and the Milwaukee Bucks are firmly out of any kind of race. At this stage of the season, it can be easy for games to feel pointless, especially if there's a daunting matchup ahead of the dread of yet another loss starts sinking in.

That's why finding small victories, however small and however personal, can be hue not just for individual players, but for team morale as a whole.

That was the case Wednesday night for Milwaukee. Despite a 137-11 blowout loss to the Detroit Pistons, there was one player who ended up having a night he may never forget: Jericho Sims. 

Sims has seriously stepped up his game as of late and has been showing steady improvement across the board, especially as a playmaker, which head coach Doc Rivers has taken notice of. 

Wednesday night was another step in the right direction. Sims finished with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his first career triple-double and Rivers couldn't be happier for him. 

Rivers knows what that kind of accomplishment can do for a player, how special that is and how much the team rallying around one person can make a huge difference. 

"That was good for Jericho. In a rough season, in a rough night, we're playing the best team in the East off a back-to-back with guys out, I thought our guys did well," Rivers said (via Bucks). 

Rivers was aware of the triple-double hunt that Sims was in and took efforts to make sure he got there. 

Sims was just two points shy of hitting the mark near the end of the game, so Rivers made sure that he got more time on the floor to make it happen and Cormac Ryan came through with the assist to get Sims over the hump. 

Sims is in his second season with the Bucks and his fifth season overall and while he's always been a bench option in his career, he's seen an elevated role in his time with the Bucks, seeing the starting five more than he ever has before.

With the confidence that he's gained after his triple-double, Sims can carry that momentum through the last part of the season and ideally, into the next. 

With Rivers' focus shifting toward development and improving on his roster for next season, boosting the confidence of a player like Sims, who has the kind of physical presence that the Bucks have been lacking with the frequent injuries to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Rivers is making a solid investment into the future of his team.