© Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
The Milwaukee Bucks absorb third-straight loss, bow to the Minnesota Timberwolves
For the first time this season, the Milwaukee Bucks lost three straight games after they fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves, 105-129, on Thursday night.
The Bucks dropped to 1-5 under coach Doc Rivers as they faltered in their first game of a four-game homestand. Milwaukee was coming off a five-game road trip where they went 1-4.
Manpower woes hound Milwaukee
In Rivers’ first home game, Milwaukee was short-handed, with Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton sitting out due to sprained ankles. The Bucks also didn’t have a pure point guard for the contest after Cam Payne got traded to the Philadelphia Sixers in exchange for Patrick Beverley.
Apart from Payne, Milwaukee also parted ways with Robin Lopez, who was traded to the Sacramento Kings for cash.
A.J. Green fired a career-high 27 points for the Bucks. He went 7-for-8 from three-point range, but most of his points came when the Wolves had broken the game wide-open.
Short night for Giannis
Jae Crowder finished with 21 points, while Giannis Antetokounmpo scored just 17 points for the Bucks, who fell to 33-19 in the season.
The Bucks were down by 24 points, 64-88, when Giannis was subbed out with 4:09 left in the third quarter. With Milwaukee failing to cut down the deficit to a manageable level, Rivers opted not to send Giannis back into the game.
Anthony Edwards led the Wolves with 26 points. Karl-Anthony Towns added 19 points, while Mike Conley had 18. Naz Reid chipped in 17 points, while Rudy Gobert added 16 points and 11 rebounds as Minnesota moved atop the Western Conference with a 36-16 record.
