The Milwaukee Bucks have had a shaky start to the season, matching up against the Toronto Raptors tonight and being wildly uncompetitive. They got blown out 111-130, with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard both underwhelming with their performances. Fans are dismissing the Bucks as contenders after the opening week of the season.
Final. pic.twitter.com/xgislkIz4R
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 2, 2023
Fans couldn’t believe how much worse the Bucks look compared to the Celtics.
Bucks losing to a play-in team while the Celtics are blowing teams out by 30 😭 pic.twitter.com/CxE88K29gN
— 𝓖𝓪𝓫𝓮 🍀 (@gabe_blessed) November 2, 2023
The lack of defense on the Bucks since losing Jrue Holiday has been obvious, with fans saying they cannot compete for a title while being so porous.
The Bucks have allowed 117, 127, 114 and 130 points in their first 4 games……..they have no defense
You can’t win a championship like this 🫣#NBA
— 🏀Nat The GM🏈 (@ReesRebel31) November 2, 2023
Fans were sharing clips of Dame’s defense in particular, showing that the 33-year-old point guard is not on the right timing just yet.
Bucks defense has been bad all around but Dame is just DYING on these screens. pic.twitter.com/6zvarQFs1m
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) November 2, 2023
Giannis was adamant he wanted to let Lillard be the primary option, but that’s led to fans comparing Giannis to his brother, Thanasis.
Giannis since Lillard was traded to the Bucks pic.twitter.com/AIeYrdLwEG
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) November 2, 2023
Fans are saying the Bucks are simply not well-constructed as a team.
https://twitter.com/SwooshSzn/status/1719859414382055672
The Raptors were the worst halfcourt offense heading into the game and managed to score 130 points, a fact that made Celtics fans very happy.
Celtics win
Tatum mvp
Bucks lost to the worst offensive in basketball pic.twitter.com/mkkiyl043K
— ` (@JaysGotNext) November 2, 2023
Milwaukee traded Jrue Holiday to the Blazers to acquire Dame before the Blazers flipped him onto the Celtics. Fans are joking the Bucks involuntarily strengthened the Celtics by making Holiday available.
bucks getting dame accidentally created a better team than them LMAOOOOOO
— Owen O’Connor (@OwenOConnorNBA) November 2, 2023
The Bucks were led in scoring by offseason acquisition Malik Beasley, who sunk six three-pointers in the game. Giannis Antetokounmpo managed just 16 points while Lillard could contribute only 15 points. That’s pretty shocking for the superstar duo, who will need to contribute a lot more if they hope to be contending for a title.
The Raptors had three 20-point scorers on the night, being led by Pascal Siakam’s 26 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. Dennis Schroder had 24 points and 11 assists in an all-around performance, while Scottie Barnes had 21 points and 12 rebounds. It was an inspired performance, as Darko Rajakovic’s offensive strategy is slowly taking shape. Adrian Griffin’s defense in Milwaukee, on the other hand, isn’t looking nearly as secure as anyone would’ve anticipated.
The Milwaukee Bucks Need To Find A Solution
Even if Jrue Holiday is gone, the Bucks have had a team setup that’s seen them be one of the most dominant defensive teams in the league. The loss of Holiday impacts their defense, but it doesn’t make them so bad that they fall to 28th in the league. Lillard has been clueless on that front, clearly getting to grip with the Bucks’ defensive rotations.
Under a new coach like Adrian Griffin, there will be an adjustment period for the players. With many new pieces on the roster as well, it’s going to be a process for the Bucks that shed years of continuity this summer to make the team they have now. The defense can come together throughout the season, though that’ll also depend on Giannis, who’s been getting exposed on that front in one-on-one coverages.
Offensively, Lillard has been disappointing. He’s averaged 21.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists through the first four games, with his debut being the high point. Giannis isn’t doing much better, averaging 24.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while deferring to Lillard. A solution needs to be found ASAP, or the Bucks may be down a disastrous path.
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