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The biggest issue for the Milwaukee Bucks as of late has not been who is on the floor for them, but rather who is off of it. Early season injuries are becoming a factor for the Bucks, who are currently without the services of point guard Jrue Holiday, center Brook Lopez, and a yet-to-return Donte DiVincenzo, who has been out since the 2020-21 playoffs. All three players normally have regular minutes in the squad’s rotation, with the presence of Lopez especially missed in the paint, where Giannis Antetokounmpo is forced to handle a majority of the work. That became a problem on Saturday night against the San Antonio Spurs, when Giannis got into foul trouble as the Bucks were closing in on taking the lead late. Bobby Portis returned for Milwaukee on Sunday night, and the impact was immediately felt, though the Bucks fell to the Jazz, dropping their third straight game at home.
If there is any upside to missing three key members of the lineup, however, it’s that younger players and new additions are being forced to work into the Bucks’ system, getting comfortable with one another. Newly acquired guard Grayson Allen is playing a heavy chunk of minutes right now for Milwaukee, and although only a year removed from the offense, George Hill is making himself reacquainted with coach Mike Budenholzer’s scheme on the fly. Both have been integral in keeping the Bucks competitive, and while the team dropped two straight games at home last week against the Timberwolves and Spurs, neither game felt especially out of reach, with both on the cusp of late 4th quarter comebacks. Milwaukee will need to put their pieces back together again in the coming week though, which sees them leaving the comfort of home for much of it.
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Tuesday, November 2 at Detroit (6 p.m., Bally Sports Wisconsin)
The week kicks off in Detroit for the Bucks, which on paper should be the team’s best chance to return to their winning ways. The Pistons have a young roster, and are currently rebuilding their system through the draft, which has led to a 1-4 start to the season. The Bucks will be coming off of back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday, however, and the aforementioned injuries could play a factor in who receives a starting role for Milwaukee. Hopefully this will be a bit of a rehab game for the Bucks at Little Caesars Arena.
Friday, November 5 vs. New York (6:30 p.m., ESPN)
From on paper one of the easiest games of the week to the toughest, the New York Knicks are looking to prove themselves in the Eastern Conference, and will try to make a statement on Friday night back at Fiserv Forum. The extended rest during the week will be beneficial for the banged up Milwaukee squad, but they’ll need a strong showing on offense to match the reinvigorated Knicks, who come into the week at the top of the conference standings. Forward Julius Randle has been the story for New York, leading the team in points, assists, rebounds and blocks. The additions of guards Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier have also aided the Knicks, helping out the young talent that has emerged in RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. In a nationally televised contest on Friday night, look for a high-scoring affair from two teams full of star power.
Sunday, November 7 at Washington (5 p.m., Bally Sports Wisconsin)
The Bucks begin a five-game Eastern Conference road trip on Sunday night in Washington D.C., who are off to just as hot of a start as the Knicks. Much like New York, the Washington Wizards bolstered their team over the course of the offseason, with new additions Kyle Kuzma, Spencer Dinwiddie, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell reshaping the team in a blockbuster five-franchise trade this past August. Washington looked strong last season before getting bounced in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, but the new-look Wizards should be an even stronger contender this year. Expect a physical contest for the Bucks, who will likely still be returning to full health, making things difficult.
