The Milwaukee Bucks took another brutal loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 116-114, despite nearly storming back from a 19-point deficit thanks to Damian Lillard's 36 points and Bobby Portis' 21 points and 18 rebounds. However, Cavs guard Darius Garland scored 39 points on seven three-pointers to lead the team to an 8-0 start, tying the best start in franchise history. Adding to the Bucks' woes, their 1-6 start doesn't bode well for playoff hopes and their chances of keeping superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo happy.
“Since 1970, 150 NBA teams have started 1-6 or worse,” according to NBA reporter Mike Vorkunov on X, formerly Twitter. “Just 12 of those teams made the playoffs that season, and five of those did that with a losing record. None won more than 47 games. Bucks have a steep hill to climb.”
The Bucks in free-fall
No one could have expected the Bucks to implode this way after they traded for Damian Lillard last season to pair with Giannis Antetokounmpo. After firing Adrian Griffin, despite a 30-13 record, the team still made the playoffs, though the Pacers eliminated them in six games.
Still, fans expected the elimination to happen since injuries to Giannis and Dame hobbled the team for the playoffs. After a long offseason of rest and recovery, the team seemed poised to take back the top position as contenders in the Eastern Conference.
However, the optimism of beating a Joel Embiid-less 76ers on opening night soon turned into frustration and chemistry issues, as they lost six straight games to both playoff contenders and bottom-dwelling teams. The Bucks simply could not figure out ways to win games.
Moreover, some fans suspected that Dame Time and the Greek Freak were actually not a good fit. Against the Cavaliers on Monday, the Bucks nearly won thanks to Lillard's 36 points and seven assists, since Antetokounmpo missed the game due to a right adductor strain.
Both Giannis and Dame play best when they get the ball at the top of the key, where either Giannis can drive to the cup or Dame can pull up for a three. However, there is only one ball to go around, and when one of them gets it, the other might not get enough rhythm to be effective.
Chemistry issues?
So, even though both players combined for 75 points in the Bucks' first matchup against the Cavaliers, they still found ways to lose. But then again, perhaps the two players have chemistry problems.
For instance, three-time NBA champion Danny Green said that both players didn't work out together in the offseason, so they never improved on their existing chemistry. They would have learned to coexist with each other on the court and even play off each other.
After Monday's Cavaliers loss, the Bucks face dimming hopes of making the playoffs. If they lose another game, one of them might be which team does Giannis Antetokounmpo want to go?
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