Entering the game as small road favorites, the Milwaukee Bucks suffered a disappointing 104-93 loss to Golden State Tuesday night, despite Steph Curry‘s absence (rest).
The Bucks never found their footing on offense, notching two 17-point quarters and shooting under 40% for the game. Golden State did not have an efficient night from the floor either, but they capitalized on free throws and threes (38.6% vs 31.6%) and destroyed Milwaukee on the boards, 52 to 34.
Although the Bucks’ last two losses have come against good teams, both OKC and Golden State have been without key starters. With Curry unavailable, Jimmy Butler stepped up with 24, 8 and 10 and went a perfect 11-11 at the line. How did Milwaukee fail to take advantage of a sub-capacity opponent? Well, for one thing, Giannis Antetokounmpo had his most inefficient shooting night in years.
Fans Might Not See Another Giannis Game Like Last Night for Quite a While
Kyle Kuzma led the team with 22 points, a career-high as a Buck. Damian Lillard, who along with Giannis had a subpar night from the floor, went 6-18 for 16. Antetokounmpo finished with 20 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks, but a 5-16 performance from the field was his least efficient mark in over two years.
The last time he registered a lower FG% was January 11, 2023, when he went 3-10 in a win over Atlanta. Technically, he also went 1-4 in February that season, but in only 9 minutes on the court before injuring his ankle. That was the game he became Milwaukee’s all-time assists leader. Mulligan.
The anomalies don’t stop there. His five made field goals tied his lowest since he shot 4-12 on Dec 19, 2023, again in a win. Tuesday also marked the first time since around the same date that he shot below 50% in consecutive games, which he last did in three games from Dec. 17-22 in 2023.
While these trivia reinforce just how unusually substandard Giannis was on Tuesday, in a sense it is a backhanded compliment to his incredible efficiency. Following a loss he would almost surely decline any individual praise, but still. How many players at his high usage rate can claim a similar two-year period?
Milwaukee Bucks Continue Collective “Funk” Vs Warriors
Considering the full scope of his contributions, Antetokounmpo didn’t even have a horrendous outing. He scored half his points at the stripe, going 10-15. But given Golden State’s lack of a true center, the rebounding margin was alarming. Doc Rivers tore into his team’s performance across the board.
“We didn’t execute most of the game. We’re in an offensive funk right now,” Rivers said. Tuesday was the fifth time in seven games that Milwaukee failed to reach its season average of 114.5 points.
Doc also referenced sloppy turnovers and an ill-advised foul on a Butler three attempt. He is fed up with his players violating basic rules. “We’re breaking too many things that just can’t happen.”
The loss dropped the Bucks to 38-30, allowing Indiana to creep half a game ahead of them for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee continues a daunting five-game road trip out west Thursday night against the Lakers.
For More Great Wisconsin Content
Follow me on X at @ezsniper14 and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!
