Bledsoe injured in easy victory
Point guard strains oblique in second quarter
With all their stars in the lineup, Wednesday night offered the first chance for fans to get a look at the Milwaukee Bucks as the team hosted its preseason home opener.
Unfortunately for the Bucks, though, it was just a glimpse and nothing more. The Bucks may have dominated the Utah Jazz in a 133-99 victory at Fiserv Forum, but the win came at a cost.
Starting point guard Eric Bledsoe left the game with seven minutes left in the second quarter holding his side. He proceeded immediately to the locker room where he was diagnosed with a strained oblique muscle that kept him out the rest of the game and could sideline him for a few weeks depending on the severity of the injury. Bledsoe had played well before exiting the game, contributing five points on 2 of 3 shooting and two assists in 12 minutes.
Bledsoe’s injury could be particularly tough for the Bucks considering their lack of depth at point guard. Coach Mike Budenholzer recently noted that the team only goes three players deep at that spot in terms of true point guards -- Bledsoe, George Hill and two-way player Frank Mason.
Outside of the injury to Bledsoe, the Bucks totally controlled the game from start to finish, flexing their overall depth throughout.
Star Giannis Antetokounmpo got virtually whatever he wanted in his first preseason action, pounding the rim with multiple dunks on the way to 22 points, 11 rebounds and four assists
in less than 21 minutes. During Antetokounmpo’s time on the court, the Bucks were a ridiculous plus-37 points.
Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez each contributed 14 points while Wesley Matthews -- who joined the four returning starters in Budenholzer’s opening lineup -- added eight points, three rebounds and two assists in 17 minutes. The starting unit only logged 5 minutes, 9 seconds together at the start of the game but performed well in getting Milwaukee out to a 16-8 lead.
Before the game, Budenholzer made sure to mention that Wednesday’s starting lineup was just that -- he’s still figuring things out. He pointed out that multiple wings have performed well during camp and that he’s still trying to find the best combinations for the starting unit and off the bench, a search that will likely continue depending on the length of Bledsoe’s absence.
“Some of these things just happen organically and you’ve got to watch them play together,” Budenholzer said. “I think it’s important that we not try and say we’ve got to have this because this is what we had in the past. I think there’s different ways that different groups can work together.
“So, in practice, with five preseason games and throughout the season we’ll constantly probably be evaluating it. I do tend to like to get into a kind of rhythm and consistency and people knowing roles and timing and things like that has been my nature, but how all of that fits together is still a work in progress.”
In addition to the starting unit, the Bucks got quality minutes from multiple players off the bench.
Donte DiVincenzo bounced back from poor shooting night in the preseason opener to contribute 10 points on 4 of 7 shooting along with four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Kyle Korver connected on a trio of three-pointers over 2 1/2 minutes in the second quarter -- his only shots of the game -- to help the Bucks grow their lead from nine to 19 points. Thanasis Antetokounmpo also went perfect from the field, finishing with nine points on 4 of 4 shooting with five rebounds.
The Bucks will continue the preseason on Friday when they take on the Dallas Mavericks at 7:30 p.m. Friday at American Airlines Center.