A 4-1 start to the 2025-26 NBA season had the Golden State Warriors sitting pretty near the top of the Western Conference standings. While the Dubs had been playing great basketball, starting out 3-0 at home and Draymond Green fueling their elite defensive effort, it seemed destined that this team was due for a let-down game. That came on Thursday night in Milwaukee.
Right before tip-off, the Milwaukee Bucks ruled superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo out with a knee injury, leading many to believe that Golden State would run away with their fifth win in six games to start the season.
However, Ryan Rollins and the Bucks had other ideas, as the former Warriors guard exploded for a career-high 32 points on 13-of-21 shooting, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range. As a team, the Bucks shot 47.9 percent from the floor and 41.3 percent from 3-point range. Eight players scored in double figures for Milwaukee, including all of their starters.
Overall, this was simply a poor performance by the Warriors, who turned the ball over 19 times and never seemed to get the timely stops needed on defense. After the game, Green addressed the team's defensive effort, and he did not hide his feelings about how the team played.
“Yeah, we were terrible switching,” Green admitted in the Dubs' locker room, via Anthony Slater of ESPN. “They got downhill over and over, which then led to open shots. And then you get a team feeling good… and they're NBA players.
“If I had the answer, I think we would've won.”
This was simply a tough night for the Warriors, going up against a team without their best player. Role players and other starters always seem to step up in the NBA when their team's superstar is out, and that was the case with Rollins and the Bucks on Thursday night.
Mix a strong offensive showing by Milwaukee with poor rotations and slower defensive instincts from Golden State, and that results in a Bucks win.
Stephen Curry also chimed in on the loss, claiming that Giannis being out didn't impact the Warriors' overall focus, but it altered their defensive plans and adjustments.
Although this was not the result the Warriors had hoped for, they will have a great opportunity to bounce back and claim their second road win of the season on Saturday night against the Indiana Pacers, who have yet to win a game this season.
