The Milwaukee Bucks dropped another tough one against the Portland Trail Blazers Saturday night 105-102.
Milwaukee has unfortunately lost the last four out of five games, and there is some cause for concern.
Fresh off of the NBA Cup victory, things were looking up for the Bucks. Since then, they have gone on a slight skid (losing five out of their last eight) and have been struggling to pull out of games.
On Thursday night, Milwaukee lost to a struggling Nets team and were looking to bounce back. Losing to the Trail Blazers, who lost the last ten out of thirteen games, is simply inexcusable.
What Happened?
Giannis Antetokounmpo did his usual job and dropped a stat line of 31 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 assists. The issue was everyone else on Milwaukee.
In Damian Lillard’s battle versus his former team, he struggled immensely. He only had 16 points on 15 shots in 37 minutes of play. Against Brooklyn, he also struggled with a stat line of 23 points on 20 shots in 40 minutes of play. When Lillard is at his best, the Bucks win games. When he is not, the chances of them winning are slim.
Khris Middleton has been a shell of himself this season. The 33 year-old has averaged his lowest points per game total (12.7) since the 2013-14 season. Middleton had just 2 points against Portland on Saturday night.
Brook Lopez also had a tough night, only posting 5 points on 9 shot attempts. Lopez has dropped less than 8 points in back to back games, his production is also valued for Milwaukee.
Head coach Doc Rivers was visibly upset about the tough loss to Portland with some comments after the game.
“Very, very (disappointing). It’s frustrating watching us play…We’re not playing right and it’s on both ends. Defensively, we’re getting beat off the dribble over and over again, getting beat on the glass. Offensively, I don’t see us playing with much pace.”
Bouncing Back
Milwaukee needs to be very careful in the next few weeks of play. In the Eastern Conference standings, they sit in fifth place with a 17-16 record.
Why is this important? The Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls all have 17, 18 or 16 wins right now. The Bucks have many teams on their tail and they need to separate themselves from them.
Players must step up in order for the Bucks to look like contenders. Damian Lillard is capable of superstar play and everyone knows it. He just has to know it himself.
Khris Middleton’s injury history has clearly slowed him down, but if he can get back to the 15 points per game mark, he will make a bigger impact than people will know.
Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis have to play their roles properly in order for the Bucks to have that well-balanced attack that won them the title back in 2021. Efficiency is key for the two bigs.
Giannis has been leading the way for Milwaukee, and is having an MVP-caliber year. His 32.3 points, 11.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists a night are some of the best numbers he’s ever posted. He’s hungry this year, but the entire squad has to be as well in order for them to win.
