The Milwaukee Bucks still haven’t won a game this season against the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
Even with a refurbished roster since the last time the Bucks played the Cleveland Cavaliers, it was more of the same with Milwaukee suffering a 112-100 loss to the East’s top team on Sunday at Fiserv Forum.
The Bucks fell to 0-9 against the top three in the East: Cleveland, Boston and New York. That includes an 0-4 mark against the Cavaliers.
BOX SCORE:Cavaliers 112, Bucks 100
“Just watching their trust over ours offensively will jump off the screen when our guys watch it,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. “I think it’s a good teacher for us.
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“Game 1 (against the Cavs) it was us doing all those things. We lost in a heartbreaking game, but that’s who we have to be in a game against them. Because they crossed over that line, you just see a trust all game. We have not made that transition, and that’s where we have to go.”
Kyle Kuzma and Giannis Antetokounmpo lament offensive flow
If there was a through-line in all the post-game comments it was that the Bucks (36-27) didn’t have enough punch on offense.
“Defensively, we were good enough to win the game,” Rivers said. “Offensively we were not good enough to win the game.”
Milwaukee had just 17 assists on its 39 baskets. The Bucks also coughed up 18 turnovers.
“We were playing side-to-side,” said Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had a game-high 30 points. “Wasn’t playing downhill.
“That’s pretty much it. I feel like we had a lot of opportunity to play one-on-one. But we came in with the mind-set to move the ball side to side. Get everybody involved. I think at times we were overthinking.
“Sometimes it’s great to pass the ball to one another. Sometimes you got to pass the ball to the rim, in my opinion.”
Both Antetokounmpo and Kyle Kuzma also pointed to the Bucks’ three-point attempts. Milwaukee hoisted 31 threes, while the Cavaliers put up 47.
“We’re one of the best shooting teams in the league,” Kuzma said. “We should be shooting around 40 a night.
“Just playing that type of basketball. Playing free. I think tonight we just kind of let them dictate what we wanted to do.”
Antetokounmpo echoed the same theme.
“We got to shoot 30, 35, 40 (three-pointers),” Antetokounmpo said. “The only way that happens is by trusting what you built, the game plan.
“Believe in your habits and just play free. Good things are going to happen. Just play free. Play with joy.”
Cavaliers put game away in fourth quarter
Milwaukee was within striking distance in the fourth quarter, at one point cutting the deficit to five points, then Cleveland (54-10) slammed the door with a 13-0 run that made it 102-84 with 4 minutes 35 seconds left.
“Let our heads down a little bit,” Kuzma said. “I think how we played on offense, we played on our heels a little bit.
“Not playing aggressive. Not being decisive. A little bit of overthinking. We were thinking about offense, this is a two-way sport, going back on defense. They had us running and attacking closeouts all night and I think that this is a pretty good lesson for us. Something that we kind of needed to play against and see.
“Because you see how dangerous it is. They’re an unbelievable ballclub, but I wouldn’t say that they’re that much more talented than us or that much more athletic than us.”
The Cavaliers had five players in double figures, led by Max Strus’ 17 points.
Bucks in midst of tough stretch of schedule
The Bucks have dropped back-to-back games to kick off a challenging stretch over the next month that includes a five-game road trip to the West Coast.
“I’m not looking at the month as a whole,” Rivers said. “Obviously, we want health as much as we can.
“We just got to keep building with the new guys to get them acclimated. And we got to be consistent in the way we play. Every time we play right, it’s hard to beat us. And any time we don’t, anybody can beat us. And we go back and forth too much.”
Five numbers
5 Dunks in the first half for Giannis Antetokounmpo
50th Place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list for Antetokounmpo after he passed Tom Chambers in the first quarter.
4 Turnovers in the first two minutes of the second quarter for the Bucks
43 Bench points for the Cavaliers
21 Seconds that the Bucks had the lead in the game
Is Giannis playing?
Yes. Giannis Antetokounmpo was considered probable to play, as he had been managing the after-effects of a left calf strain suffered on Feb. 5. But before the game, Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Antetokounmpo, Kyle Kuzma and Gary Trent Jr. are all available to play.
What is the Bucks record without Giannis?
6-6.
What channel is the Bucks game on?
- TV: ESPN and FanDuel Sports Wisconsin
- Stream: You can stream the game on the ESPN app and FanDuel Sports Wisconsin app through your television or streaming carrier. FUBO also has a free trial for new subscribers.
- Announcers: Michael Grady (play-by-play), Cory Alexander (analyst) and Angel Gray (reporter) will call the game for ESPN. Lisa Byington (play-by-play), Marques Johnson (analysis) and Melanie Ricks (sideline reporter) will call the game on FanDuel Sports Wisconsin.
Bucks injury report
- Bobby Portis Jr., out (league suspension)
- Pat Connaughton, out (left calf strain)
- Pete Nance, out (left ankle sprain)
- Gary Trent Jr., probable (right knee hyperextension)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, probable (left calf straing)
- Kyle Kuzma, probable (left ankle sprain)
Bucks starting lineup
- Guards: Damian Lillard, Taurean Prince
- Forwards: Kyle Kuzma, Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Center: Brook Lopez
Bucks vs. Cavaliers odds, over/under
Spread: Cavaliers by 8
Over/under: 239.5
Moneyline: Cavs -345, Bucks +270
