Giannis Injury & Bucks Struggles: Latest Updates

We believed the Bucks relaunched, reinvigorated by the parenthesis imposed by the NBA Cup and a convincing victory against Boston on Friday. But Milwaukee has just taken one step forward… and three steps back. Sunday, the defeat against the Nets turned into humiliation: 127-82, a disaster against a team at the bottom of the table in the East, which plunged the Wisconsin franchise back into its doubts.

The absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo obviously weighs. Milwaukee has won only two of its ten games played without the Greek star this season. But that doesn’t explain how an aggressive and involved team 48 hours earlier could have become so apathetic. “It was awful, awful everywhere”said Doc Rivers at a press conference. Like Kevin Porter Jr, he pointed out an unusual preparation, far from the expected standards.

“45 points against a team looking to lose…”

“It was awful of me, because I clearly didn’t get them to be ready. It’s probably one of the most disappointing matches I’ve been involved with, the way we played and fought. We were looking for someone to blame…except ourselves. We blamed the referees, we looked at each other. Nobody wanted to play hard. We have a big questioning to do. »

On Sunday, his players offered a poor performance defensively, from which there is no positive to draw. “It’s one thing to lose, it’s another to lose with a gap like that” reacted Bobby Portis in the locker room. “ It’s difficult to even put into words our performance tonight. » Kyle Kuzma had some.

“Is this our lowest point of the season? It’s not even a question: absolutely. 45 points against a team looking to lose… They have four wins, five, whatever. I don’t want to disrespect them: that’s also the NBA. There’s so much talent, and if you’re not ready, you can get your ass kicked by anyone. Tonight, we are proof of that. »

Poor starts, a faltering team

For Kyle Kuzma, part of the explanation lies in the starts, a recurring Achilles heel, especially away from home (3 wins for 9 losses). The score was still 19-18 after seven minutes, but the defense was already giving worrying signals. Then the gap swelled to 37-25 at the end of the first quarter.

“Mike Tyson says when you get in the ring, everyone has a plan…until they get punched in the teeth. Very often, we are the ones who take it. You are stunned, you try to come back, to fight. And by round seven, eight or nine, it’s too late.” explains the former Wizards again.

Doc Rivers hit the nail on the head: “It wasn’t until the start of the second quarter that we finally looked like a team that wanted to pass the ball. But in the meantime, the basketball gods had decided that we would no longer take an open shot. Because we didn’t deserve it. »

Inconsistency, the real poison

Against Boston on Friday, activity and toughness were the basis of everything. In Brooklyn, even without their coach Jordi Fernandez (ill), the Nets were treated to an opponent without these ingredients: no energy, no rigor, no reaction.

“Our performance as a team, as a group, was very disappointing”repeated Kyle Kuzma, bitterly. “What is killing us this year is the inconsistency in our efforts. And that is unacceptable. We just didn’t play hard. We let them do what they wanted on offense. We lost a lot of balls. This is where we are. We must mature: in our play with and without the ball, in the energy we put in night after night. »

The comparison with the best teams in the East – status to which Milwaukee claims – stings all the more since the Bucks are now five games under 50%. “When you look at the NBA Cup, OKC–San Antonio, it seems like it’s personal, like a playoff game,” observed Kyle Kuzma. “Obviously it’s just the NBA Cup, but it’s December, like them, right? We have to get our act together. We are extremely talented, but talent that doesn’t come together is just talent. It’s not a team. »

And the Giannis question in the background…

Milwaukee conceded its worst defeat of the season, signed its lowest total of points and even its least prolific quarter. Giannis Antetokounmpo could have, at least in part, limited the damage. Still a forfeit, he is not much further along in his personal case, according to Marc Stein, and uncertainty continues to hover over the future.

According to the “insider”, Milwaukee still has not indicated that the “Greek Freak” is clearly on the market. The tendency would even be to want to keep it and try to continue the adjustments around it, despite work without real success since the 2021 title. An indecision which could push certain franchises (Spurs, Rockets, Thunder, etc.) not to invest too much in the file, Marc Stein always argues.

It remains to be hoped that the introspection demanded by Doc Rivers and his leaders will finally translate into action on the ground. First test Thursday, with the reception of the Raptors, before a series of six games out of seven against teams with a negative record: an ideal window to get back on our feet… or to sink a little deeper. And force the club to decide?