Doc Rivers praised Cam Thomas following Milwaukee’s 116-108 victory over the Orlando Magic. “I’ve had Jamal Crawford, I’ve had Lou Williams. Now, I have Cam Thomas,” Rivers said, highlighting the rookie’s scoring ability and confidence.
Thomas led the Bucks with 34 points on 12-of-20 shooting, including four three-pointers, in 39 minutes. Rivers emphasized the impact beyond scoring, noting, “Cam wants to do right. He wants to play well. You can see that. We’re going to give him every opportunity.”
Rivers highlighted Thomas’ quick decision-making and playmaking. “Pull downhill with power… and you may score and you may create scoring. I thought he did that tonight,” he said, referencing Thomas’ ability to attack defenses and create opportunities for teammates.
The coach also praised other contributors, including Kevin Porter Jr., who recorded a triple-double with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. “Scoot’s triple-double speaks to how in control he was,” Rivers said, noting the importance of Porter’s versatility in the win.
Jericho Sims and Ousmane Dieng added 17 points each, with Sims securing 11 rebounds. Rivers described Sims as “a one-man wrecking ball… created havoc in the paint with his rebounding and rolls.”
Milwaukee’s strategy emphasized paint protection and patience on offense. Rivers explained, “Our game plan tonight was to clog the paint and make them make shots… we just kept telling the bigs, wait, something’s going to come. Be ready.”
Rivers acknowledged some defensive lapses, specifically allowing Desmond Bane open opportunities. “We messed up one of the defensive assignments. We left Bane, which is inexcusable the way he was shooting,” he said, though Bane’s late scoring run was contained by the Bucks’ effort.
The coach also discussed Thomas’ learning curve. “Probably forced one or two today where he over dribbled… you live with that and you teach that to get that out of him. Overall, he was fantastic,” Rivers said.
Rivers praised Thomas’ defensive commitment as well. “He competed on the other end, miles to get back… took three shots, he makes that three. A big three,” he said, underscoring Thomas’ growing maturity on both ends of the floor.
With the win, the Bucks improved to 22-30, while the Magic fell to 28-25. Both teams will travel Thursday: Milwaukee visits Oklahoma City, and Orlando faces Sacramento. Rivers concluded, “Cam is a natural scorer… we need him to play with confidence. He did that tonight.”
