"Classic Doc": NBA fans slam Bucks coach for throwing Damian Lillard under the bus for his conditioning ahead of training camp

Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers received heat from NBA fans on social media after he apparently threw All-Star guard Damian Lillard under the bus by sharing how 'Dame' came to training camp this season out of shape.

The one-time NBA champion shared about his conversation with the Bucks All-Star, including Lillard's conditioning ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, on The Bill Simmons Podcast on Thursday:

"I didn't even realize Dame was traded two or three days before training camp. ... We were at dinner, and he said, 'Coach, I didn't work out all summer. It's the first time in my life that I've not worked out. I was so scared of getting injured working out.

"He knew he was gonna get traded. So, he said, 'You know, I did some light running. I did some shooting with no one in the gym. But I didn't go (hard) at all.' ... He was honest about it, and that's one of the reason you love him. He said, 'This is the worst shape I've ever been in."

Fans on X slammed Rivers, believing that the information no longer needed to be shared to the public. That was especially with the way things ended for the Bucks this season, which saw both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard go down injured.

Some were no longer surprised that Rivers did what he did, considering his history of rubbing players the wrong way. One fan wrote:

"Classic Doc throwing everyone under the bus"

Another reminded Rivers about confidentiality:

"This man doesn't know what confidentiality is"

One fan highlighted how Lillard was given a "That's Doc for you" moment:

"Congrats, Damian Lillard. You've been Doc'd"

There were others, meanwhile, who viewed what Rivers said as his way of making excuses for the first-round playoff exit that Milwaukee had this season. One fan said:

"More Doc Rivers excuses?"

"Sounds like damage control after a disappointing season," one chimed in.

Another had one saying:

"'Is that an excuse? I don't need anymore of those. I've got a whole jar of those at home,' my high school football coach when I'd mess up running a route at wide receiver and blame someone else. Ha."

There were others who just highlighted that Rivers was out of line in what he did, with one saying:

"Why would you expose that"

Still another:

"This is just bad on all fronts."

Lillard landed in Milwaukee in the offseason in a three-team blockbuster trade with the Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns.

Meanwhile, Rivers replaced Adrian Griffin as the Bucks coach midseason and helped the team to a 49-33 record and third in the Eastern Conference.

---

Damian Lillard laments injury woes of the Bucks late in the season

Damian Lillard lamented that injuries prevented the Milwaukee Bucks from going deep in the playoffs.

'Dame' and the Bucks were booted out of the opening round of the playoffs by the Indiana Pacers, as they played without a full roster, notably Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was out because of calf injury.

Lillard shared his sentiments in a report that came out on ESPN:

"You play an entire 82-game season. You go through training camp; you go through all the ups and downs of a NBA regular season, and you get to the point where, all right, now we're going to play for everything.

"And you're not whole. You don't have the best opportuynity to reach where you want to reach. So it's frustrating, it's disappointing, but it's part of the game."

Against the Pacers, Damian Lillard missed Games 4 and 5 with an Achiles injury.