Curry outduels Giannis as tough loss puts more pressure on Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks came up agonizingly short Wednesday night in a 120-113 loss to the host Golden State Warriors, despite another dominant performance courtesy of Giannis Antetokounmpo.

While Milwaukee shot efficiently and stayed within striking distance for the majority of the game, defensive lapses, uneven execution down the stretch, and missed opportunities proved costly late in the game against a seasoned veteran Golden State team.

Here are the key takeaways from the Bucks’ road loss.

Giannis Antetokounmpo did everything he could to keep Milwaukee afloat

Antetokounmpo was his usual dominant self, finishing with 34 points on 15-22 shooting while relentlessly attacking the paint. Golden State struggled to keep him out of the lane while the former MVP consistently generated quality looks both in transition and the half court, to the degree that it was a bit surprising he went to the foul line to shoot just seven free throws for the game. Warriors coach Steve Kerr may have been reluctant to repeatedly foul Giannis as he had gone 19-21 from the charity stripe in his last two games, but he only finished 2-7 last night - the only blemish in an otherwise stellar performance.

The issue, once again, was that Milwaukee needed more to compliment his production. When Antetokounmpo went to the bench or was forced to kick out of double teams, the Bucks struggled to convert those advantages into sustained offense. The rest of the starters did score in double-digits, but no other Bucks player scored more than 16 points, which simply isn't going to be enough against the high-octane Warriors offense. While his world-class talent and efficiency kept the game competitive, it wasn’t enough to overcome broader issues elsewhere.

Milwaukee never truly solved the Stephen Curry problem

Curry finished with 31 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, including a step-back 3-point dagger to finish off the Bucks in crunch time. The bigger issue for Milwaukee was how comfortable Curry looked orchestrating Golden State's offense. The Bucks alternated between drop coverage and late help, neither of which consistently disrupted his rhythm.

Milwaukee allowed Curry too much space coming off screens and rarely forced the ball fully out of his hands. When help did arrive, it often came late, opening up driving lanes or kick-out opportunities that kept Golden State’s offense flowing smoothly. The lack of sustained ball pressure, especially down the stretch, allowed Curry to control the game even during stretches when his shot wasn’t falling at an elite rate.

Bench production remains uneven

The Bucks received limited impact from their bench, which struggled to consistently match Golden State’s energy and shooting. While there were flashes, Milwaukee’s second unit failed to capitalize during non-Giannis minutes, allowing the Warriors to maintain or extend their lead. Only Kyle Kuzma finished in double-digits with 13 points off the bench, with the reserves collectively scoring just 24 points combined and all with a negative +/- metric.

Golden State’s depth proved decisive in those stretches, as Milwaukee was unable to flip the game when the starters rested. That imbalance continues to be a concern, especially against teams with reliable scoring throughout the rotation.