The Golden State Warriors walked into Milwaukee expecting a break with Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined, but instead ran into the hottest stretch of Ryan Rollins’ young career. The former Warriors guard torched his old team for a career-best 32 points, powering a Giannis-less Bucks squad to a surprising 120-110 win that exposed Golden State’s late-game shortcomings.
- 1. Self-Inflicted Turnovers Destroyed Golden State’s Rhythm
- 2. Ryan Rollins Dominated His Former Team At Every Level
- 3. Milwaukee’s Three-Point Barrage Overwhelmed Golden State’s Perimeter Defense
- 4. Golden State’s Bench Was Outplayed And Outscored At Critical Stretches
- 5. Offensive Imbalance And Late-Game Execution Issues Hurt The Warriors
Milwaukee officially ruled Antetokounmpo out just an hour before tipoff due to lingering left knee soreness, yet the Bucks never flinched without their MVP centerpiece. Rollins controlled the night with elite shot-making and timely playmaking, while Myles Turner, Cole Anthony, and the Bucks’ bench overwhelmed a Warriors team that couldn’t capitalize on multiple fourth-quarter chances.
Stephen Curry, Jonathan Kuminga, and Jimmy Butler kept Golden State afloat with steady scoring bursts, but the Warriors collapsed defensively when it mattered most. Curry’s rare free-throw miss, a costly bench deficit, and Rollins’ ice-cold dagger threes sealed an upset that left Golden State searching for answers after failing to close out an opponent missing one of the league’s most dominant forces.
Let’s dive into the five reasons why the Warriors lost a game they should have won, because it certainly raised some eyebrows tonight.
1. Self-Inflicted Turnovers Destroyed Golden State’s Rhythm
Golden State never gave itself a chance to control the pace because it repeatedly handed Milwaukee free possessions. The Warriors committed 22 turnovers, nearly double the Bucks’ 16, coughing up the ball in both live-ball situations and half-court sets.
Those giveaways directly translated into 27 Bucks points, a massive swing in a game decided late. The problem wasn’t limited to one player. Stephen Curry had five turnovers, Jonathan Kuminga added five, and Jimmy Butler chipped in two while trying to push through contact.
Every time the Warriors made a run, a forced pass, a loose dribble, or rushed read halted their momentum. Meanwhile, Milwaukee protected the ball when it mattered most, committing only one turnover from its starting backcourt of Ryan Rollins and AJ Green.
Even with better shooting at the free-throw line (96.2% to Milwaukee’s 69.2%), the Warriors could not overcome the damage created by their miscues. Golden State actually held more total rebounds, steals, and blocks, yet the turnover disparity erased many of those advantages.
In a game where the Warriors cut the deficit to two late, giving away 11 extra possessions was the difference between a comeback win and a disappointing collapse.
2. Ryan Rollins Dominated His Former Team At Every Level
The Warriors had no defensive answer for Ryan Rollins, who delivered the most efficient performance of his career. Rollins shredded his former franchise for 32 points on 13-for-21 shooting, including 5-of-7 from three, repeatedly punishing drop coverage and late closeouts.
Golden State rotated through multiple defenders, Curry, Payton II, and even Butler, but none could disrupt Rollins’ rhythm. His scoring outburst was only part of the damage.
Rollins ran the Bucks offense with poise, adding 8 assists against just 1 turnover, carving up the Warriors’ help rotations whenever they tried to trap him. Golden State entered the night with a defensive plan built around walling off the paint, but Rollins’ shot-making forced them to abandon that structure, and they never recovered.
Most importantly, Rollins hit every momentum-shifting shot of the fourth quarter. After Curry drilled a three to cut Milwaukee’s lead to 106-104, Rollins answered with a dagger three just 10 seconds later, sparking an 11-2 Bucks run.
He finished the night with a team-best +8, and his final step-back three with 25 seconds remaining sealed what became Golden State’s most frustrating defensive failure of the season.
3. Milwaukee’s Three-Point Barrage Overwhelmed Golden State’s Perimeter Defense
Golden State lost the math battle decisively from beyond the arc. Milwaukee drilled 19 threes on 41.3% shooting, while the Warriors managed only 13 threes at 34.2%. Those six extra triples amounted to an 18-point swing, far outweighing Golden State’s free-throw advantage and its higher rebounding total.
The Bucks attacked the Warriors’ weak-side rotations all night, generating clean looks for AJ Green (3-of-7), Myles Turner (3-of-6), and Rollins (5-of-7). Even Milwaukee’s bench contributed: Taurean Prince and Bobby Portis each hit a three to keep the spacing intact.
In contrast, Golden State’s shooters outside of Curry and Kuminga struggled; Buddy Hield shot 1-for-4, Gui Santos went 0-for-1, and Moses Moody was 0-for-3, tilting the offensive balance heavily toward Milwaukee.
The Warriors’ inability to contest threes without surrendering driving lanes proved fatal. Whenever Golden State tried to switch or blitz, Milwaukee found the open man.
When they played conservative coverage, Milwaukee simply shot over the top. With Giannis unavailable, the Warriors expected the Bucks to score inside; instead, they were dismantled from the perimeter.
4. Golden State’s Bench Was Outplayed And Outscored At Critical Stretches
Milwaukee’s second unit provided stability, scoring 38 points, while Golden State’s bench managed only 29, and many of those came after the game had already tilted. Cole Anthony led the Bucks’ reserves with 16 points, hitting tough mid-range jumpers and attacking gaps whenever Golden State’s defense relaxed.
Taurean Prince and Bobby Portis added 10 and 12 points, respectively, both finishing around 50% from the floor. By comparison, the Warriors’ bench production came in inefficient bursts.
Buddy Hield shot just 1-of-6, Gary Payton II was scoreless in 10 minutes, and Al Horford’s two blocks couldn’t compensate for his 1-of-6 shooting or -20 plus/minus. Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski combined for only 9 points, and Golden State failed to generate a single bench free-throw attempt.
The drop-off was even more damaging defensively. Milwaukee’s reserves posted strong overall plus/minus numbers, Portis at +14, Prince at +11, while Golden State’s bench produced a string of negatives across the board.
With Rollins resting, the Bucks maintained or widened leads, forcing the Warriors’ starters to shoulder heavy minutes and reducing their efficiency late in the fourth.
5. Offensive Imbalance And Late-Game Execution Issues Hurt The Warriors
Golden State’s stars produced big scoring nights. Curry with 27, Kuminga with 24, and Butler with 23, but they lacked contributions elsewhere, leading to a predictable offense that Milwaukee eventually solved.
Outside the top three scorers, no Warrior reached double figures besides Moses Moody’s nine, and the rest of the bench combined for just 10 points. Milwaukee simply loaded the paint, forced kick-outs, and dared Golden State’s supporting cast to beat them.
Late-game execution hardened the Warriors’ offensive stagnation. Curry’s streak of 57 consecutive made free throws ended at a critical fourth-quarter moment, and the Warriors shot just 8-of-18 from the field in the final nine minutes. When Golden State cut the lead to two, its next five possessions produced two turnovers, two missed threes, and an empty Butler post-up.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee responded with disciplined ball movement, scoring on four of its next five trips. Golden State finished with only 23 assists, below its season average, and many of its fourth-quarter sets devolved into isolation or bailout threes.
The Bucks’ defense, even without Giannis, funneled everything into contested mid-range attempts and closed off the Warriors’ off-ball actions. In a tight game defined by momentum and precision, Golden State’s lack of late-game cohesion and scoring diversity proved decisive.
