Bucks Miss Playoffs for First Time Since 2016

Coach Doc Rivers cites lack of health and star power as factors in Milwaukee's disappointing season.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 3:19am

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For the first time since the 2015-16 season, the Milwaukee Bucks failed to qualify for the NBA playoffs. The Bucks were officially eliminated from postseason contention after a 127-95 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night. Head coach Doc Rivers pointed to a lack of health and star power as key reasons for the team's underwhelming performance this season.

Why it matters

The Bucks have been one of the Eastern Conference's top teams in recent years, making the playoffs in six straight seasons and winning the NBA championship in 2021. Their failure to reach the playoffs this year represents a significant setback for the franchise and raises questions about their ability to contend going forward.

The details

Rivers noted that the Bucks have struggled with injuries to their key players, including superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and newly acquired All-Star Damian Lillard. He also acknowledged that the team lacked the depth and supporting cast that other top contenders have, with Giannis being the team's lone "quote-unquote star."

  • The Bucks were officially eliminated from the playoffs on March 25, 2026.
  • The Bucks last missed the playoffs in the 2015-16 season.

The players

Doc Rivers

Head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Superstar forward for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Damian Lillard

All-Star guard who was recently acquired by the Milwaukee Bucks.

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What they’re saying

“It's been disappointing, obviously. Since I've been here, I haven't had a healthy stretch, and it's been your key guys. It's been Giannis. It's been [Damian Lillard]. And you hope you can play through that, but we just haven't had the ability.”

— Doc Rivers, Head Coach

“This year, having only one quote-unquote star, every other team has two and three. We needed health. We were thin. We knew that before the season started, and it just didn't go our way. All the talk and all that stuff probably didn't help either.”

— Doc Rivers, Head Coach

What’s next

The Bucks will need to address their roster and health issues in the offseason in order to return to the playoffs next year.

The takeaway

The Bucks' failure to reach the playoffs for the first time in six seasons highlights the importance of roster depth and health in the NBA. As a team built around a single superstar in Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks struggled to overcome injuries to their key players and lacked the supporting cast to compete with other top teams in the Eastern Conference.