The Milwaukee Bucks squandered a massive 14-point early lead against the Boston Celtics, collapsing to a 117-97 loss where they were simply out-muscled on the court. It was a brutal defeat, especially after such a hot start, and it really highlights some serious concerns for the Bucks early in the season.
Celtics Flexed, Bucks’ Bigs Crumbled
Boston came in and played like the more physical team, plain and simple. They dictated the game for most of it, and the biggest reason for that was Milwaukee’s primary big men were, frankly, horrendous. It was so bad that head coach Jenkins had to turn to Jericho Sims in the second half, pulling Kel’el Ware off the floor. You just can’t let that happen if you want to hang with a team like the Celtics. Yeah, Boston hit a bunch of tough shots, Paul George especially, and sometimes you just gotta tip your cap, but the lack of interior presence for Milwaukee made things way too easy for them.
Kuzma’s Fire Cooled, Herro Gets Squeezed
While the big men were struggling, a few Bucks tried to get things going, but consistency was a huge problem. Kyle Kuzma kicked things off like a house on fire, dropping an incredible 16 points in the first quarter with some fantastic shot selection. But then the “heat checks” started, and he only managed 11 more points for the entire rest of the game. You gotta know when to put the cue in the rack and run a real offense, and he didn’t.
Tyler Herro faced a completely different Celtics defense this time around, too. They were all over him, picking him up higher on the floor, squeezing the gaps, and forcing him to be a passer. Boston bet they could recover to shooters, and for the most part, they did. Herro isn’t a real number one option, and when teams can send waves of defenders at him like that, you see this kind of result. He did play through a knee injury, so that might have impacted him, but you still need more. Ryan Rollins wasn’t horrible, but he just couldn’t find any separation to attack. When he tried, he was swallowed up, turning the ball over, or just throwing “grenades” to his teammates. His point-of-attack defense wasn’t exactly turning heads either. And Jaime Jaquez Jr.? He just made zero impact, with no ability to even generate shots, let alone make them. He was tasked with guarding Paul George and got “lit up,” even though many of George’s shots were well contested.
This was a tough one to swallow. The Bucks showed flashes early, but the lack of physicality and a complete meltdown from the big men really cost them big time. They’ve gotta find some answers fast if they want to get back to playing consistent, winning basketball.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Brew Hoop.
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