It’s panic time in Milwaukee after the Bucks lost their second straight game on Tuesday. In the aftermath of a brutal defeat against the Warriors, head coach Doc Rivers called for a meeting between the two leading stars: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.
“With the Bucks struggling recently, and a dispirited loss to the Warriors last night, sources relayed to me that head coach Doc Rivers, after the game, called a meeting with his two superstars in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard,” said Haynes. “In this meeting was an open forum to provide input on ways to improve the team. It was a constructive discussion with each individual being allowed to share their perspectives.”
The Bucks gave up a lot to acquire Lillard in the summer of 2023. Besides giving up a future first-round pick and two pick swaps, the Bucks parted with their former championship point guard, Jrue Holiday, and things have never been the same.
Defensively, the Bucks went from one of the best teams to mediocre at best (ranked 11th in the NBA). On offense, the Bucks are even worse with a rating of 114.6 (14th in the league).
Tuesday’s game against the Warriors was arguably one of the worst we’ve seen from the star duo. The Bucks scored just 93 points, with Lillard and Giannis combining to drop just 36 on 11-34 shooting. Milwaukee is now ranked fifth in the East at 38-30.
So far, Lillard and Giannis have been one of the most disappointing duos in modern NBA history. Before coming together, the two stars were unstoppable with their respective teams and experts salivated at the idea of pairing their games together.
Now that they are teammates, the Bucks were expected to be major players in the East but it’s been nothing but disappointment so far. In their first season together, Giannis and Lillard only won 49 games together and lost in the first round to the Indiana Pacers.
This year, with no excuses left, the Bucks are on track for a similar record, only their title window has gotten smaller. At 34 years old, Damian Lillard is nearing the end of his prime and the 12-year veteran is due for a sharp decline. For the Bucks to maximize his tenure, they need to make a push soon or it could leave them vulnerable in the backcourt.
Without Khris Middleton’s steady hand, the Bucks have limited places to look and their entire future now hinges on the chemistry between their two biggest stars.
It remains to be seen if a meeting is enough to make things right, but it’s clear Doc Rivers is looking everywhere for solutions and he has yet to find one that sticks.
If he works with Lillard and Giannis, maybe the Bucks can find a game plan that works for everyone. For now, however, this team is unable to get it right and nothing is off the table. If the Bucks can’t find some kind of spark this season, it could lead to more roster moves that alter the team’s entire identity.
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