Another lackluster showing leads to back-to-back losses
The Milwaukee Bucks came back home looking to get right for the playoffs.
The Bucks arrived at Fiserv Forum for a five-game homestand off an ugly 117-113 loss to the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.
After that stretch, Milwaukee closes the regular season with two games on the road so this was a good opportunity to get into a groove.
But thanks to missing stars and some defensive issues, the Bucks still looked out of sorts in a 111-101 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.
Brook Lopez was 9 for 14 and 5 for 7 from three-point range to lead the Bucks with 25 points. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 21 points on 10-for-23 shooting and added eight assists and seven rebounds.
Even missing key players, the Bucks (47-29) losing to the Wizards (15-62) and the Grizzlies (26-50) is a headscratcher.
“I think it’s tough sometimes playing against teams that’s not fighting for nothing or has nothing to lose,” Bucks forward Bobby Portis said. “Always tough playing against them.
“It’s always been like that in my nine years in the league. It’s basically this time of year, we’re in the locker room, I’ve been on teams where we’re like, hey, man, our seasons about to end, let’s go out there and see what we can do and mess somebody else up.
“Obviously, the last two games wasn’t our night. Only thing you can do is look forward to Toronto (on Friday).”
Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton sit out
Bucks guard Damian Lillard missed his third straight game. He sat out against the Atlanta Hawks with personal reasons, and he missed the loss to the Washington Wizards game on Tuesday with a right groin strain.
“Feeling a lot better,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said in his pregame media availability. “Had a really good workout yesterday. Was on the court today, working out.”
Bucks starting wing Khris Middleton also out on the back-to-back with injury management.
Milwaukee was also without backup point guard Pat Beverley (right ankle), so Pat Connaughton was pressed into duty as a ball-handler while A.J. Green and two-way guard TyTy Washington saw big increases in minutes.
“I thought our guards played hard,” Rivers said. “Memphis waited, but once they started pressuring our guards ... Pat Connaughton, I tried to give him breaks, rest ... but we got beat off the dribble a ton. And not just our guards, our bigs as well.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo bounced back from ugly first half, but hamstring was bothering him
Antetokounpo shot just 4 for 14 in the first half as the Bucks went into the locker room facing a 53-49 deficit. Antetokounmpo came into the game shooting 61.6%.
Even more concerning for Bucks fans was that Antetokounmpo kept grabbing at his troublesome left hamstring.
But Antetokounmpo was back on the floor to start the second half.
“I wanted to take him out of the game,” Rivers said. “I thought he was running on fumes.
“As a coach you got to make a judgment call sometimes and medical makes the call more. They kept saying he was OK, but I have eyes. And I just didn’t like the way he was moving and that’s why I took him out the one time early (in the second half). He kept asking to go back in and trainers said he was fine, so we kind of stuck there.
“But I wish I would have said just said no, honestly.”
Antetekounmpo was back doing his usual things, dunking and blocking shots and he helped the Bucks take a 6757 advantage in the third quarter.
“Things are not always going to be easy,” Antetokounmpo said. “It’s easy to say I’m not going to play and I’m just going to sit.
“But I think it’s the hardest to play through pain and keep on going. Not just to try to win, but also for yourself. Because I think it’s going to help me in the long run.”
Jaren Jackson Jr. got Grizzlies back in game
The Bucks made 18 three-pointers, while the Grizzlies made seven. That disparity usually leads to a victory.
But Memphis was dominant inside, getting 76 points in the paint to the Bucks’ 36.
“They did a great job of just sharing the ball,” Lopez said. “Getting downhill. Making the extra pass. And getting easy ones.
“It’s tough to guard. You could tell they’re having fun out there. And they made us move, second-guess ourselves and had us all over the court.”
Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. scored a game-high 35 points on 14for-26 shooting.
“He’s so talented,” Lopez said. “And he’s so tough at going either way, but especially to that left hand.
“He’s great at finishing at the rim and getting that ball in the basket. He was great tonight. I could have been better. There’s a lot to learn from this for us and for myself.”