NBA Rumors: Doc Rivers Met with Giannis, Dame After Warriors Loss amid Bucks Struggles

After the Milwaukee Bucks disappointingly fell to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night for their fifth loss in their last seven games, head coach Doc Rivers reportedly made a serious attempt to figure out a solution.

According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Rivers held a private meeting with Bucks superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard in hopes of identifying the reason for the team's struggles and how to fix them:

The Bucks suffered a 104-93 loss to a Warriors team that was playing without star point guard Stephen Curry. Antetokounmpo had 20 points on 5-of-16 shooting, while Lillard was limited to 16 points on 6-of-18 shooting as Milwaukee fell to 38-30, just a half-game ahead of the Detroit Pistons for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

Haynes explained that Rivers gave Antetokounmpo and Lillard the opportunity to voice their opinions on what's been plaguing the Bucks over this recent stretch.

"In this meeting, I'm told, was an open forum for both stars to provide input on ways to improve the team," Haynes said. "It was a constructive session with each individual being allowed to share their perspectives."

Milwaukee appeared to be on the verge of a special season when it won the NBA In-Season Tournament championship in December. Antetokounmpo is in the midst of an MVP-caliber year with averages of 30.2 points, 12.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.3 blocks. Lillard has also been more effective in his second year with the team, averaging 24.9 points, 7.1 assists and 1.2 steals.

Still, the Bucks have struggled to find consistency throughout the year, as the supporting cast behind the two superstars has underachieved overall. Forward Kyle Kuzma, who was acquired from the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline in exchange for longtime swingman Khris Middleton, has averaged just 13.7 points across 19 games in Milwaukee.

The Bucks will be hoping that the meeting between Rivers, Antetokounmpo and Lillard will pay dividends when they return to action on Thursday in a road matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers.