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Bucks struggling to maintain consistent play for a full 48 minutes while awaiting Middleton’s comeback

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Bucks struggling to maintain consistent play for a full 48 minutes while awaiting Middleton’s comeback

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks anticipated a more promising start to their season after their disappointing performances in the playoffs the previous two years.

Since their victory in the season opener against Philadelphia, the team has encountered a rough patch, losing five consecutive matches. Currently, they find themselves four games under the .500 mark for the first time since March 2017.

Despite their struggles, the Bucks showed glimpses of improvement during Saturday’s narrow loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, which ended 114-113 after a last-second jumper from Donovan Mitchell. However, they squandered a significant 16-point lead earlier in the game and failed to capitalize on a stellar outing from Damian Lillard, who contributed 41 points and made 10 of 15 attempts from beyond the arc.

“We haven’t been able to sustain 48 minutes,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers commented, highlighting lapses that have cost them dearly. Lillard also pointed out a recurring issue where opposing bench players have been allowed to gain momentum and impact the game significantly. This occurred during the match against the Cavaliers, as Sam Merrill entered and scored 17 points, contributing to Milwaukee’s loss of their early lead.

“I think every team that’s hurt us, they’ve had somebody come in off the bench and have an impact on the game,” Lillard stated. He reflected on how quick scores from bench players can shift the game’s momentum, especially when the Bucks had established a comfortable lead.

Such dips in performance frequently arise when either Lillard or Giannis Antetokounmpo is off the court. The Bucks rely heavily on the combined strength of Antetokounmpo, Lillard, and three-time All-Star forward Khris Middleton. Their effectiveness diminishes when one of them is absent from play.

Last season illustrated this clearly; in addition to a first-round playoff exit against Indiana, Milwaukee had all three stars available for just five of their last 39 games, resulting in an 18-21 record during that period. This pattern seems to be repeating itself this season, particularly with Middleton still recovering from multiple ankle surgeries.

Middleton has yet to make his 2023 season debut, leaving Antetokounmpo and Lillard with insufficient support. Antetokounmpo had a remarkable performance against Memphis, scoring 37 points with 11 rebounds while shooting 17 of 22, yet the game ended in a 122-99 blowout, largely due to Milwaukee’s poor 3-point shooting (9 of 42) and struggles with transition defense.

Although Lillard and Antetokounmpo once again led the scoring against Cleveland, with 41 and 34 points respectively, they received minimal assistance from their teammates, who collectively managed only 22 points on 9 of 31 shooting. Rivers recognized the urgency for improvement from the bench going forward.

“We’ve got to figure that out,” Rivers acknowledged. “That’s on us. We have not found the correct rotation yet.”

Antetokounmpo expressed a need to turn things around quickly, even at this early stage of the season. Yet, he remained optimistic following the performance against the Cavaliers.

After lackluster 3-point shooting in previous losses, the Bucks turned things around, shooting 18 of 39 against Cleveland. Antetokounmpo pointed out improvements in spacing and pace that contributed to this better performance.

“That doesn’t mean we’re going to go on a five-game winning streak or a 10-game winning streak,” he cautioned. “But I know that we’re playing better. We trust one another better. The ball is moving. There’s a lot of good things that we can do. That’s all we can control.”

The positive attitude persists within the team, even amid their ongoing struggles.

“There’s no frustration,” said Taurean Prince. “The expectations are still here. We’re still optimistic. We’ve just got to figure some things out.”