Cycle Of Leaky Defense and Injuries Comes Around Again For Bucks

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Photo by John Fisher - Getty Images

Giannis Antetokounmpo

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 17: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks works out before the game against the Toronto Raptors at Fiserv Forum on January 17, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

Any game where you have Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez out of the line-up at the same time, you may as well fold the tent. A case in point came Monday night, when the Oklahoma City Thunder dismantled the Bucks 125-96. OKC’s Shai Giligeous-Alexander scored 34 points in 22 minutes. 

Antetokounmpo has right patella tendinopathy, Lillard had a sore left groin, Middleton is still recovering from off-season surgery to both ankles, and Lopez had an aching back. If there will be a push for a youth movement before the Feb. 6 NBA trading deadline, Milwaukee general manager Jon Horst should start tipping his hand. 

What’s worse is the Bucks are running on a four-game skid of losses by lopsided scores and dropped to third place in the Central Division with a 26-22 record. Poor defense is again the culprit, although their energetic efforts on the court make it even more of a puzzle.  

A case in point was Friday’s 144-118 disaster of a loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The Bucks had a 71-70 lead at halftime, largely on the strength of Antetokounmpo’s 35 points and 13 rebounds for the night. Everything fell apart in the third quarter with the Bucks being outscored 45-30.  

Down by 20 points, with just four minutes left in the game, Antetokounmpo was fighting his way down the lane, when SA’s Chris Paul appeared to push or nudge him into falling over. Fighting became an operative word, when a shoving match took place between the squads, drawing security and coaches onto the hardwood. Paul was whistled for a foul. 

Victor Wembanyama went head-to-head with Antetokounmpo, picking up 30 points, blocking six shots, and grabbing 14 rebounds, along with a handful of three-pointers. He was also named to the upcoming NBA All-Stars contest as a first term reserve. It was his handiwork that sunk the Bucks in the third quarter. 

Running in Circles 

Sunday’s home game against the Memphis Grizzlies was a continuation of running in circles for the ball, leading to a 132-119 loss. Milwaukee was up 99-93, after three quarters, before falling apart in the final frame by allowing 39 points. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 37 points, as Memphis beat the Bucks for the seventh straight time. 

What are the Bucks to do? Horst has always made his major moves over the summer, which hasn’t stopped him from trying things at the deadline.  

Last year, it was bringing Patrick Beverley, from the Philadelphia 76ers, for Cameron Payne. Beverley is now plying his trade in Israel, after last season’s sour grapes ending. 

The Miami Heat have suspended Jimmy Butler for the third time this month, and one would think he doesn’t get along with team president Pat Riley. Butler was also in line for a two-year $113 million contract extension, which has not been tendered. The Bucks could snag him for the front court, and the baggage may drop with a change in scenery and proximity with Chicago, his former homebase.      

Should the Bucks not move forward in the playoffs this season, Antetokounmpo has made it known it may be time to move on. He is focused on a championship and not having it happen with the current surrounding cast might be a tipping point. The trade deadline is a matter of days away. It’s up to Horst. 

The Bucks play at the Fiserv Forum against the Philadelphia 76ers (Feb. 9), and the Golden State Warriors (Feb. 10).  

In a side note, the newest member of the NBA’s 22,000-point club is … Damian Lillard.