"Doc should have waited a couple of weeks to sign": NBA Twitter roasts Bucks' grueling schedule with hilarious memes

Doc Rivers is set to make his Milwaukee Bucks coaching debut against the reigning champion Denver Nuggets on Monday. Rivers is taking over a Milwaukee team tied for the NBA’s second-best record (32-14). However, the Bucks’ schedule is about to get significantly more difficult, leading fans to joke about the timing of his hiring.

Milwaukee kicks off a five-game Western Conference road trip on Monday. Though perhaps the most grueling part of the team’s schedule takes place from Mar. 4 to Mar. 20.

During that period, the Bucks play seven of eight games against winning teams. This includes matchups against the LA Clippers (30-14) twice, LA Lakers (24-23), Sacramento Kings (26-18), Philadelphia 76ers (29-15), Phoenix Suns (26-20) and Boston Celtics (35-11). Additionally, four of those seven matchups take place on the road.

On Sunday, Milwaukee’s taxing upcoming schedule went viral on X, formerly Twitter, with many fans remarking about the team’s easy early-season schedule.

“Bucks schedule thus far has been Charmin soft, second easiest in the league to this point. Time to actually go to work and see who this team is exactly,” one fan said.

Meanwhile, others quipped about Rivers’ hiring and whether he can turn the team around in such a short timeframe.

“With this defense?” one fan said.

“Doc should have waited a couple of weeks to sign,” another said.

However, some Bucks fans embraced the tough schedule as a test to see if their squad is a true NBA title contender:

“I kinda like it. It’s definitely BS, but it’s also an opportunity for this team to lock in and focus. They have trouble focusing against bad teams,” one fan said.

Below are a few more of the top fan reactions to Milwaukee’s difficult late-season schedule:

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Doc Rivers on why he joined the Bucks midseason despite difficult remaining schedule

Before joining Milwaukee, Doc Rivers was taking a break from coaching in favor of working as an ESPN broadcaster. He made it clear on multiple occasions that he was content in his new role. So, his decision to take over as the Bucks’ coach midseason despite their difficult remaining schedule came as a surprise to some.

During his introductory press conference on Saturday, Rivers touched on his reasoning for accepting Milwaukee’s job offer. The former NBA champion highlighted how he was enticed by the opportunity to coach superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard and contend for another title.

However, Rivers also noted that Milwaukee’s veteran-heavy roster played a key role in his decision. According to the longtime coach, this makes the team more likely to buy into a new game plan midseason.

“The other thing is the way they're built with the veterans and their grown-ups,” Rivers said.

“I thought that if you're going to jump into this at this time of the year, this would be a type of group that you have the best opportunity to connect and change the quickest.”

Ahead of Rivers’ coaching debut, the Bucks rank second in offensive rating (120.4) but just 19th in defensive rating (116.3). It remains to be seen if he can turn their defense around over their remaining 36 games before the playoffs.

Through 24 seasons, Rivers has a coaching record of 1097-763 (.590).

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