Giannis era could be nearing end if Bucks frontcourt slump continues

Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis and Myles Turner haven't stepped up in Giannis Antetokounmpo's absence.

Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma is the only player to lead Milwaukee in scoring in a game Giannis Antetokounmpo started and finished. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks were 8-5 nearly one month ago, having narrowly avoided a second straight loss to the Charlotte Hornets. They’ve plummeted since.

We’ve known this season was going to be an uphill battle for the 2020-21 NBA champions. This was going to be their first full season without Khris Middleton. They moved injured All-Star Damian Lillard in the offseason and managed to avoid Giannis Antetokounmpo asking for a trade, but those summer wins still left Milwaukee as an unlikely contender even in a wide open Eastern Conference.

In a perfect world, it’s obvious the “Greek Freak” wants to stay with the only franchise he’s ever played for. Given the likelihood that Boston's Jayson Tatum and Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton miss the entire season to weaken the last two East champs, there’s still a chance the Bucks can avoid a breakup. Antetokounmpo has to believe there’s enough around him to make a run.

In order for him to stay Giannis’ buddies in the frontcourt are going to have to significantly step up their game. 

See that win over Charlotte mentioned above? That’s the only game Antetokounmpo has started and finished where he didn’t lead the Bucks in scoring. His 18 assists allowed Kyle Kuzma to lead the way with 29 points in a 147-134 overtime win that denied rookie Kon Kneuppel a Homecoming win. 

Myles Turner and Bobby Portis have been Milwaukee’s top scorer once each in lopsided losses Antetokounmpo didn’t play in, and that’s just one reason the guys expected to help the franchise star anchor the frontcourt haven’t pulled their weight yet. 

Upcoming stretch could define whether Giannis demands trade

The Bucks enter Thursday’s home date against the Celtics on a 2-10 run, but are in the midst of a stretch where they’ll play just four times in a 15-day stretch. On the heels of a 124-112 loss in Detroit, what they do over the next week-plus beginning against Boston may not only define the rest of the season, but what ultimately happens regarding Antetokounmpo’s trade request.

Doc Rivers has to prove he can make the most of the extra practice time the NBA Cup has bestowed upon him to get his team pulling together in the right direction. His players must heed his message and respond against the Celtics and Raptors on consecutive Thursday nights in addition to road games in Brooklyn (Dec. 14) and Minnesota (Dec. 21) to begin a five-game holiday road trip.

If the Bucks can’t show improvement now, they’re not going to. The mandate will be for Milwaukee to prove the healthy pieces in place can work together and produce more than they have over the first few months.

Improved tenacity up front must help Bucks survive December

Turner has grabbed three or fewer rebounds in six straight games despite playing 20 or more minutes each time out. Despite not mixing it up much and doing most of his scoring on the perimeter, he’s often been in foul trouble. 

Since leading the team in scoring on Nov. 14, Kuzma has reached the 20-point mark just once in 12 games, has one double-digit rebounding effort in that span, and is averaging 9.0 points while shooting 25 percent from 3-point range this month.

Portis, a fan favorite and reliable long-time contributor, has put up a few clunkers, shooting 2-for-11 last time out against the Pistons. His 11.4 points and 5.6 rebounds are his lowest averages since arriving in Milwaukee from New York in 2020. He’s blocked just three shots through 25 games and is shooting a career-worst 60.9 percent from the free-throw line, more than 15 percentage points below his career clip of 76.1.

All of these Bucks forwards are having seasons worthy of Vince Lombardi screaming “what the hell is going on out here?”

There must be a fix or the Bucks as we know them are likely a wrap. Antetokounmpo isn’t due back until late December. Taurean Prince’s neck issue will sideline him indefinitely. Backup center Jericho Sims can supply length and energy in spurts, but he’s not winning you games. 

Guards Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr. and AJ Green have actually produced more than anyone could’ve realistically hoped for. Will they get reasonable help up front while Antetokounmpo heals up? If they don’t, it looks like Giannis’ next meaningful games will be elsewhere.