The Milwaukee Bucks are on a quest to defend their NBA title this season. There's just one problem, though: they aren't looking as strong as they were last year. Whether it's due to injuries or regression, the fact of the matter is that Giannis Antetokounmpo and co. aren't the same dominant presence that they were last year.
After a horrifying loss to a Memphis Grizzlies team without Ja Morant, Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer talked about what the problem of the team was. Coach Bud pointed to the fact that the team missed several open shots, leading to the embarrassing 127 – 102 loss on the road. (via Eric Nehm)
“We couldn't finish around the basket. We had some open looks. And their defense was good, but when you do get some clean, good looks, you gotta convert them at a higher rate than we did tonight.”
The Bucks haven't looked the same this year as they did in their playoff run. The defense is still there (not this game, though), but the offense has been going through a rough patch as of late. Still, though, it's the regular season. The champion isn't determined now, it's determined in the playoffs. Budenholzer and Antetokounmpo know that painfully well.
Still, it helps for them to be able to diagnose the issues their offense is facing and find a solution for it. While a regular-season loss to a team in a different conference isn't THAT important, other teams may use this game as a reference on how to slow them down. Bud has to find ways to creatively get his guys open and not rely on his old schemes.