The turbulent season of the Milwaukee Bucks arguably hit its lowest point on Sunday after they lost by 45 points to the Brooklyn Nets, 127-82, at Barclays Center.
The Bucks never recovered from their slow start and scored only 11 points in the fourth quarter to fall to 11-16, including losing 11 of their last 14 games.
Milwaukee battled Brooklyn with a depleted roster, as Giannis Antetokounmpo and AJ Green sat out due to injuries.
After the game, Kyle Kuzma acknowledged their lack of readiness, while also appearing to subtly shade the Nets.
“It’s 45 points to a team trying to lose. They got four or five wins or whatever it is now. No disrespect at all because that’s the beauty of this league, right? There’s so much talent, and if you’re not ready, you can get your butt whooped by any team. We have proven that tonight,” said Kuzma in a video posted by NBA insider Michael Scotto.
Kyle Kuzma on Bucks loss to Nets: “It’s 45 points to a team trying to lose. They got 4 or 5 wins or whatever it is now. No disrespect at all because that’s the beauty of this league, right? There’s so much talent and if you’re not ready you can get your butt whooped by any team.” pic.twitter.com/ouGVKB8Kjq
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) December 15, 2025
The Nets, who many view as a tanking squad, improved to 7-18. They have won four of their last six assignments.
Their rout of the Bucks tied the franchise record for the biggest winning margin. The Nets, then based New Jersey, also walloped the Washington Wizards by 45 points in 1993.
Kuzma finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, and three assists in the defeat, while Gary Trent had 20 points, two rebounds, and two steals to lead the Bucks.
Aside from its losing record, Milwaukee is also dealing with a storm surrounding the trade rumors about Antetokounmpo. The embarrassing defeat to the Nets won't surely make things easier, even though the two-time MVP already stressed that that they should focus on improving their campaign.
