Despite starting the season 2-8, the Milwaukee Bucks have bounced back in a big way. They did not panic, and their patience seems to be paying off for now. Head coach, Doc Rivers, talked about the team’s resilience during their cold streak.
“Like, nope. Zero,” Rivers told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday night. “Our panic meter and everyone around here said zero and that’s where it’s always been.”
Other key players on the roster such as Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo also expressed the same sentiment.
“Frustration, but not panic,” Lillard said. “We had a good camp. Everybody came in, in shape. We was ready, and it just didn’t click right away. There was frustration but there wasn’t concern.”
“People panicked. I know they did,” Antetokounmpo told Yahoo Sports with a big smile. “That’s what I’m saying, people panicked. Me? Get your backs ready, lift a little bit more weight, lat pull down, get your lats going. Tie your shoes up and let’s go. We here now.”
“It takes time,” Lillard told Yahoo Sports. “And we had a lot of [regular-season] success last year. You know, people don’t want to talk about that. We were two seed the whole year, injuries. We had injuries. We had a lot going on, and we still managed to have a really good season.”
Milwaukee is also set to get Khris Middleton back soon. The three-time All-Star has been rehabbing an ankle injury that has kept him from participating in five-on-five drills until recently. Milwaukee is currently fifth in the Eastern Conference and has the potential to move up if they can get fully healthy.
Milwaukee Bucks Bouncing Back After Slow Start to New Campaign
Key Statistical Rankings
The Bucks have shored up many aspects of their game since the beginning of the season. As of December 5th, 2024, they rank 13th in points per game (113.6), seventh in team field goal percentage (48.2 percent), and fifth in team defensive rebounding per game (34.8). On top of that, the Bucks are also ranked 13th in team defensive rating (112.4), sixth in blocks per game (5.7), and 11th in opponent points in the paint (46.8). Milwaukee has certainly improved their play since the start of the season and are proving that any team with Giannis Antetokounmpo is a force to be reckoned with no matter the circumstances. Can the Bucks sustain this level of play? Time will tell. For now, they are looking like a top-tier team in the Eastern Conference once again.
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