Milwaukee is 2-7 to start the season, and those wins came against a shorthanded 76ers team and the Utah Jazz, teams in last place in their respective conferences with a combined two wins between them so far.
Against a respectable team like the Knicks on Friday, the Bucks got crushed. Milwaukee trailed by 10 midway through the second quarter and never got within single digits again, trailing by as many as 30 on its way to a 116-94 loss. After the game, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s frustration boiled over, here’s his quotes via Chris Herring of ESPN:
“Did we compete the previous game? Yes. Did we compete the two [games before that]? Yes. Did we compete today? No,” he said. “… If you don’t compete your ass off, you’re not going to win the game. [You have to] at least give yourself a chance.
“We came to New York after playing great last night. Then we come here and lose by 30. Are you OK with not competing? I’m not OK with that s***. We’ve got Boston in two days. We don’t compete, we’re going to lose by 30.”
In the games Antetokounmpo referenced, the Bucks did play well, although the second was against the Jazz, and right now, everybody looks good against the Jazz. The other, however, was the undefeated Cavaliers and it took a Donovan Mitchell game-winner for Cleveland to stay unbeaten in that game. Still, the Bucks’ energy nightly is one of the reasons fans are glaring at Doc Rivers.
Nine games into the season, Antetokounmpo could ask: What is the Bucks’ identity? During their championship years under Mike Budenholzer there was a clear one: An elite defense, shooting a lot of 3-pointers and Antetokounmpo getting downhill into the paint. Whatever you think of Budenholzer the playoff coach, this team knew who it was.
This season, the Bucks are 22nd in the league in defense (25th once you remove garbage time via Cleaning the Glass), 19th in 3-pointers attempted a game, and 20th overall in offense.
The vibes around the Bucks have been that they can turn this around: Khris Middleton hasn’t been healthy, some players have just been a little off, and they have had a tough schedule (Cleveland twice, Boston once and again next). The reality is harsher than that. Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard just have not clicked and it continues to feel like they play next to each other, not lift each
other up. The Bucks lack depth — partly because they have missed on draft picks and free agents. Gary Trent Jr. looked like a great offseason signing but has already been pulled from the starting lineup. This team is old and slow, and the younger, more athletic teams around the league — including the title contenders — are running right past them.
The Bucks should be better than 2-7, but to quote the great Bill Parcells, you are what your record says you are.
It looks like Antetokounmpo could be a lot more frustrated this season. Just don’t expect that to lead to him being traded during the season. The Bucks are more likely to try and add talent, but they traded away most of their assets and are over the second apron, so their options are very limited.