After their blowout loss to the Toronto Raptors in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Milwaukee Bucks star Khris Middleton was disappointed by his team's defensive efforts.
The Bucks were down by as much as 25 points. In the end, they lost by 18 points, 120-102. In the postgame conference, Middleton observed that the Raptors pretty much got what they wanted against a nonexistent defensive stand by the Bucks. Per Ben Golliver of the Washington Post:
“We've got to guard better. Everybody on their team got whatever they wanted. Everything was easy. That's where my frustration was. We're a better defensive team than we showed tonight.”
Bucks' Khris Middleton after blowout Game 4 loss to Raptors: "We've got to guard better. Everbyody on their team got whatever they wanted. Everything was easy. That's where my frustration was. We're a better defensive team than we showed tonight." pic.twitter.com/zed4IDrzPA
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) May 22, 2019
In the postseason, the Mike Budenholzer-led squad are the number one ranked defensive team with a rating of 100.3. They're also the number one defensive rebounding team, averaging 42.5 per night.
In Game 4, not only did they allow the Raptors to score 120 points, but they only snagged a total of 33 defensive rebounds — well-below their postseason average.
With the series tied at two games apiece, it has turned into a best of three battle. Though Game 5 will be on the Bucks' home floor in Wisconsin, the momentum is seemingly on the Raptors' side after two straight wins.
Middleton and crew need to look back on what went wrong in the last two games, particularly on defense.
Game 5 will be on Thursday, May 23 in Milwaukee.
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