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What we learned from the Milwaukee Bucks' 125-90 loss to the Golden State Warriors
The Milwaukee Bucks' six-game winning streak came to a screeching halt on Wednesday when they fell to the Golden State Warriors, 125-90. Here are two takeaways from the crushing loss.
Bucks’ defense was nearly non-existent in the first half
Milwaukee’s defense is a significant reason why the Bucks have rattled off six straight wins after the All-Star break. However, it couldn’t contain the Warriors’ early onslaught as the home squad scored 40 points in the first quarter, shooting 68 percent from the field and 60 percent from three-point land. As the Bucks failed to make shots, it impacted their effort on defense, and the Warriors pounced, scoring 38 more in the second to take a huge 78-58 lead at halftime.
“We cannot allow our offense to dictate our defense. At the end of the day, we got to be better. They scored 125 points. In the half, they had 78,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said.
Off night for the Bucks starters
While Giannis and Damian Lillard combined for 43 points on 15-of-31 shooting, it was not nearly enough to compensate for the miserable shooting night from the rest of the Bucks starters. Brook Lopez, Jae Crowder, and Malik Beasley scored 17 points on a combined 8-of-27 shooting.
Beasley, in particular, has struggled from beyond the arc lately, making only two of his last 20 attempts from that area. He didn’t make a single trifecta in six tries against the Warriors.
