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[Milwaukee Bucks]

Rapid Recap: Bucks 104, Wizards 101

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Milwaukee wins super ugly in Khris Middleton’s Wizards debut

The Milwaukee Bucks win super ugly against the Washington Wizards in Khris Middleton’s Wizards debut. With Giannis saddled with foul trouble and a minutes restriction, Kyle Kuzma led the way for Milwaukee in his return to Washington with 19 points, five assists, and eight rebounds. The Wizards were led by no. 2 pick Alex Sarr, who posted 22 points and seven rebounds.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap​

Predictably, Milwaukee got off to a slow start on offence on the SEGABABA, scoring just eight points in the first five minutes of the quarter. Of course, Middleton nailed a few of his patented mid-range jumpers—and drew a charge on Giannis—to put the Wizards up 13-8 at the first timeout. Without Dame and with Giannis on a severe minutes restriction, you could really tell how much they missed Bobby Portis’ ability to generate offence. Washington stretched their lead out behind threes from Corey Kispert and the newly acquired Marcus Smart. It was rough offensively for the Bucks (shooting just 36% from the field and 25% from three), down 19-32 after one.

Despite shooting 3/4 from the field, Giannis looked out of sorts early in the second, committing four turnovers and a silly foul on a three-point shooter. The Bucks got going slightly on O but kept making defensive errors, but were unable to eat into the Wizards' lead. Finally, the Bucks got going a little bit late in the second: Kyle Kuzma hit a three and had multiple successful drives to the hoop, followed by a Lopez pick-and-pop triple. The Wiz led 56-50 at the half.

Giannis barrelled to the rim off the elbow attack for the and-one to get the Bucks going out of the half. Then they hit Rollins off the down-screen for the floater, followed by transition buckets from Kuzma and Antetokounmpo to grab Milwaukee’s first lead since the score was 2-0. Giannis drove to the hoop and got called for a charge to give him his fourth foul; Doc challenged the call, but it was unsuccessful. Luckily, the Wizards continued to miss, and the Bucks continued to make, forcing a Wizards timeout up 69-62 about halfway through the third. Kispert came in for the Wizards and immediately halted the Bucks’ run with a movement three. Then Giannis got his fifth foul off a sketchy call and had to go to the bench. The non-Giannis lineup was a mixed bag, but the line I would use to describe it is, “Kuz giveth, Kuz taketh away.” Bucks led 84-75 after three.

After having a rough game up to that point, Gary Trent Jr. nailed the mid-range and-one to give the Bucks their first points of the fourth. Then both teams went comically cold for six straight possessions before Ryan Rollins broke the seal with a transition three—Bucks up 90-76. KPJ, or “Scoot” as the team calls him, then exploded off some botched pick-and-roll coverage for a mean two-handed jam, followed by consecutive mid-range jimmies. The Bucks’ lead got down to 10, and Doc brought Giannis back in for the first time since midway through the third. Antetokounmpo then made two frankly really lackadaisical errors and got his sixth foul of the game. The wheels fell off for the Bucks during this period as Washington went on a 14-1 run. Khris, of course, nailed the triple to reduce the lead to one with a minute to go, but Lopez got free throws down the other end to get the Bucks’ advantage back up to three with 38 seconds left. Brook then got the monster block on the next defensive possession and should have gotten the ball on the mismatch down the other end, but Kuz took the three and missed, giving the Wizards an opportunity to tie it down 101-104. And, of course, the play was drawn up for none other than Khris Middleton, who missed the fading wing triple, thankfully. Bucks win, and I need a cigarette…

Stat That Stood Out​

Giannis looked off in this one in a few ways, but his seven turnovers in 19 minutes stood out to me. I think his minutes restriction and unfamiliarity with his new teammates, along with some of the usual Giannis stuff (overdribbling, going too fast, etc.), really plagued him tonight in a game he’d probably like to forget (at least from a personal perspective).

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Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/2/21/...okounmpo-kyle-kuzma-khris-middleton-alex-sarr

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks vs. Wizards: Old faces, new places

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Milwaukee grinds out a win against Washington’s Khris Middleton

The Milwaukee Bucks failed to register a field goal in the final 7:02 of the game but somehow escaped with the victory against the Washington Wizards, 104-101. Kyle Kuzma, although relatively inefficient, was among Milwaukee’s most impactful players with 19 points, five assists, and eight rebounds in his Washington return. Giannis had 18 points in 19 minutes, and five other Bucks register at least nine points. Alex Sarr dropped 22 and seven rebounds for Washington, while Khris Middleton had 12 points on the evening, including a ginormous three down the stretch. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast Bucks In Six Minutes below.

What Did We Learn?​

I think the main learning was that with Dame out, Giannis on a minutes restriction, and Bobby suspended, it was a grind to generate offence. Kyle Kuzma helped a little with that but asking him to be a facsimile of Khris is a little unrealistic. They tried tapping into “Brooklyn” as Doc called it postgame, where Brook Lopez gets down on the block and plays like he did with the Nets all those years ago. But other than that, you’re looking at KPJ as the primary creator (which he has done an admirable job of thus far), and asking Trent, Green and Rollins to do stuff above their paygrade. Makes you a little nervous, but the upgrade in defence and rebounding offsets that a little bit.

Three Observations​

Washington’s switching coaxed Milwaukee and Giannis into a brand of slow, iso-heavy offence.​

With the lack of offensive options last night, the Wizards plan seemed to be to switch basically everything and stay out of rotation, which inevitably led to the ball ending up in Giannis’ hands on the block with a mismatch. Now, Giannis can usually beat mismatches, but you pair that strategy with the fact that Milwaukee was down creators, Antetokounmpo on the minutes restriction and looking out of sorts, no Bobby to stretch the floor, and the usual slew of options dried up. This was a nice piece of coaching from Brian Keefe, I thought, to pick that poison for this particular game, given the circumstances.

Kevin Porter Jr. is impressing not only fans, but his coaches and teammates.​

KPJ had just two points at halftime, but 10 in the second half as he helped keep the margin at 10–14 points through the late third and early fourth. You could see the team deferring to him as the primary creator throughout the game, and he kept delivering. His ability to snake pick-and-rolls and get to those step-back jimmies is awesome. The herky-jerky dribbling is tantalising. Giannis spoke glowingly of Porter postgame:

“Oh, I love him. He’s nice, I’m not even going to lie to you... He’s been incredible these past two games I’ve played with him… He’s able to get to his spot, create for others. Defensively, he’s so good. Knows how to use his hands and his body… I love playing with him… That’s a steal, for sure.”

Just wanted to throw this one in here for the heck of it:

Ryan Rollins continues to stay ready.​

After not playing the previous night, Rollins started against the Wizards and produced. 6/10 from the field and 2/5 from three with four assists, four rebounds, three steals, one block, and a team-high +12 in 33 minutes. Yeah, this dude is an NBA player, period. He has just three games left on his two-way contract. Maybe the Bobby Portis situation complicates matters, but the Bucks would surely want to sign him to a standard contract, right?

Bonus Bucks Bits​

• Not to be dramatic or anything, but Kyle Kuzma attempting that late contested three with Brook right in front of him on the block being guarded by Kyshawn George (!) made me want to throw my computer out of the window. Doc jokingly said Kuzma was trying to be the hero in his return after the game:

“That last play was supposed to go to Brook and Kuz wanted to make the shot. So we’re going to give him the hero ball grace period for one day. But he knew it right away.”

• Brook Lopez had a massive block on Middleton late in this one. Postgame, he credited Kuz with doing a good job running Khris off the three-point line and funnelling him into the paint.
• Jericho Sims is doing a fine job. He screens and rolls hard; if they’re switching, he still rolls hard to quickly take his matchup out of the action (even though he knows he’s not getting the ball with the mismatch). The guy just does things with purpose and intent. It’s not necessarily pretty, but he’s definitely additive out there.
• Rough few games for Gary Trent, eh? A combined 6/19 over this back-to-back.
• No minutes for new Wizard AJ Johnson.

Up Next​

The Bucks head home to play the Miami Heat on Sunday night in their blue City Edition uniforms! Catch the action at 6:00 p.m. Central on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin or stream it on our Playback and YouTube channels.

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Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/2/22/...okounmpo-kyle-kuzma-khris-middleton-alex-sarr

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Fans think Giannis’ MVP case is waning

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

The Bucks need a strong finish to get the Greek Freak back in the conversation.

Most Valuable Player debates haven’t been quite as toxic this season as they’ve been in years past, and mercifully seemed to start deeper into the year. Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn’t finished above third since winning his second MVP in 2020, even slipping to fourth last year. Last year, when he became the first player ever to average at least 30 points per game while also shooting over 60% from the field. The first ever! Not even Wilt Chamberlain did that while feasting on expansion teams in the 60s!

He’s going to accomplish that very same feat this year too. For a good chunk of the season, Giannis led the lead in scoring at around 32 PPG. In the past couple months, he’s slipped ever so slightly to a still-outstanding 31.2 PPG to go with 11.9 RPG and 5.8 APG. He’s doing this all on 61% shooting, 61.4% effective field goal percentage, and 62.1% true shooting (Damian Lillard is just 0.1% behind him!)—just super efficient stuff.

On top of that, he’s blown away previous career highs in the midrange at 50.6% between 10–15 feet and 45.3% between 16 feet and the three-point arc. That’s good for 33rd and 43rd among the 186 players who’ve logged over 1,000 minutes, ahead of stars like LeBron James, Jaren Jackson Jr., Tyrese Haliburton, De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Maxey, Donovan Mitchell, and Karl-Anthony Towns. He even shoots better from that 10–15 range than Steph Curry on similar volume!

Of course, many of these stats are better than his back-to-back MVP seasons of 2019 and 2020, when he played fewer minutes per night thanks to a more dominant Bucks squad. His per-36 averages for rebounds and assists are a teensy bit shy compared to those rates in his first MVP campaign, but his scoring volume is higher (it will be hard to top his 34.8 points and 16.1 rebounds per 36 from his second MVP campaign, but he’s only two points away).

But Shai Gilgeous-Alexander assumed the driver’s seat in the scoring title race since the New Year amid a historic season of his own. Though Giannis is just one point per game behind SGA currently, it’s easy to imagine that last year’s runner-up will get the nod in 2025 thanks to the Thunder’s utter dominance. I certainly can’t argue with it: his case is stronger, given how much OKC has rampaged through the league (at least when the games have counted in the standings!), plus his 32/6/5 averages on .522/.357/.899 shooting are sterling. That line grants Gilgeous-Alexander better efficiency numbers than Giannis, for the most part. SGA has also only missed one game all season.

Reflective of this, he’s at +10,000 in FanDuel odds, waaaaayyyyy behind SGA (-500) and Nikola Jokic (+340). Fans are even more bearish, which might make you think he’ll finish lower than third. A national poll conducted by SB Nation has SGA as the runaway frontrunner for MVP honors at this point, with Giannis getting a mere 1% of the vote.

Jokic is enjoying another amazing season, possibly his best, that will surely place him in the top three vote-getters again, but I highly doubt he’ll get his fourth award. Maybe if he’d won another title last season. But to have Tatum, whose scoring and efficiency are down a fair bit as compared to his last two seasons, over Giannis is a joke. Yes, Boston is good, but they’ve been surpassed to some degree in the East, at least in the regular season. Methinks their fans may have stuffed this virtual ballot box. Towns probably gets a Knicks fan boost too, and Wemby isn’t going to qualify since he’s done for the season (this poll was conducted prior to that announcement).

Team success is probably the biggest reason Giannis isn’t higher: at 31-24, the Bucks’ roller coaster year has them at least 5.5 games behind the other contenders’ squads in the standings. And to be honest, Giannis’ free throw shooting is a big demerit against him. At a career-worst 57.7%, he’s obviously detrimental once he steps to the line, though he’s not getting there at quite the same pace as he was from 2021–24 when he topped a 60% free throw rate twice. But it’s the third-highest in the league behind Rudy Gobert and Mason Plumlee (who has played nearly 1,000 minutes). While he’ll make an All-NBA First team for a seventh time if he can play in 22 of the Bucks’ last 26, a third MVP is probably out of the question after he positioned himself as possibly a favorite in mid-December once Milwaukee broke out of their early season slump.

And playing in 22 of 26 is by no means guaranteed. Though he just returned from a left calf strain after the All-Star break and played in back-to-back games, the Bucks have five more B2Bs remaining, including two in April, thanks to their January Pelicans matchup being postponed. After missing so much time in the Bucks’ last two playoff runs due to injury—one from perhaps fatigue but another from Kevin Love taking a charge, to be fair—you have to think they’ll look to get Giannis some rest going into the postseason when they’re able. Still, I think fans will take a healthy Giannis in the first round over one who played 65 games in an Embiidian charge at an MVP.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/2/22/...ee-bucks-shai-gilgeous-alexander-nikola-jokic

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Miami Heat Preview: Super-Herro sans Alfred

Photo by Evan Yu/NBAE via Getty Images

The Bucks take on the Jimmy Butler-less Heat.

The Milwaukee Bucks are back in Sconnie to welcome the Miami Heat in a Sunday tilt. After winning the first two matchups in the series, the Bucks will look to keep the upper hand. They’ll visit Miami once more at the tail-end of the season.

Where We’re At​

Don’t look now, but the Bucks are on a three-game win steak! It certainly wasn’t the prettiest stretch of basketball, and they won by a combined 11 points, but a win is a win is a win. A grab bag of themes: Giannis came back earlier than expected and has looked the part, Kevin Porter Jr. is in while Andre Jackson Jr. is out (only so many juniors, I suppose), Jericho Sims is a basketball player, AJ Green benefitted from the break but Gary Trent Jr. did not, and Bobby is suspended.

Meanwhile, the Heat came out of the break on a good(ish) note, defeating the Raptors in OT. That’s the first win in four for their newcomers—Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, and Kyle Anderson—and snapped a four-game skid to mostly good opponents. All things considered, not a bad time to play them: while they are still figuring things out but finally got a W with this group of guys.

Injury Report​

Giannis (left calf strain), Dame (right hamstring strain), Taurean Prince (left ankle sprain), and Gary Trent Jr. (left knee contusion) are all probable. Pat (left calf strain) and Bobby (suspension) are out.

For the Heat, Tyler Herro is probable with right shoulder soreness. Kevin Love (personal reasons) is out, as is Dru Smith (left achilles surgery).

Player To Watch​

Look to Gary to snap a bit of a cold spell against the middling Miami defense.

How To Watch​

FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 5:00 p.m. CST.

Playback Streaming​

We are streaming the game live on our Playback and YouTube channels. Join Van and me as we dissect everything on and off the court. Read on to find out how you can get NBA League Pass on us!

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Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/2/23/...-preview-start-time-tv-schedule-injury-report

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Rapid Recap: Bucks 116, Heat 111

Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Milwaukee’s winning streak is now at four games

In a Sunday evening matchup at Fiserv Forum, the Milwaukee Bucks extinguished the Miami Heat, 116-111. Tyler Herro was scorching hot all night long for the Heat, burying home 40 points. Damian Lillard’s 26 points served as the high scorer for the Bucks.

NBA.com Box Score

The Heat started this one with some sharp shooting. Led by Tyler Herro’s eight points, they were on fire in the opening stanza. That hot start granted them a double-digit lead to close out the first quarter. A flagrant-one by Jericho Sims on an Andrew Wiggins 3PM with ten seconds left in the period served as a little twisting of the knife. It padded Miami’s lead to 14 at 37-23 when the first quarter horn sounded.

The Heat’s double-digit lead remained intact for the bulk of the second quarter. Paced by Tyler Hero, Bam Adebayo, and recent newcomer Andrew Wiggins, their scoring continue to outpace Milwaukee. It seemed the Bucks were finally able to slice the deficit to single-digits on a Gary Trent Jr. and-1, but the Heat came right back. Andrew Wiggins got an and-1 opportunity on a lay-up, but then missed the FTA. Herro then crashed the boards and got another and-1, this time making the FTA. The Bucks then carried a ten-point deficit into the locker room at 65-55.

The officiating was making life difficult for the Bucks to kick off the third. It seemed that their whistles were being blown at even the faintest contact. Despite the uncertainty in that department, they were still able to weather the storm and keep the deficit at single digits going into the third, 93-85. Tyler Herro led all scorers going into the fourth with 28 points.

Kevin Porter Jr. brought welcomed energy off the bench to start the fourth. He’d hit a handful of shots that really fueled not just the energy of the Bucks themselves, but the crowd as well. That run propelled Milwaukee in front and ultimately provided them with a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Some big threes from Lillard and Kuzma served as insurance. Lillard then scooped in a lay-up with 22 seconds left that served as the dagger, giving Milwaukee the 116-111 victory.

Stat That Stood Out​

All evening long, the Bucks just seemed to be lacking the energy to match the Heat’s scoring. That seemed to change once Kevin Porter Jr. took over things to begin the fourth quarter. Coming into this one, he had scored double-figures in a season-high-tying three games. That stat has now evolved into a season-high, as he connected on 11 points. After a handful of games now with the Bucks, he’s beginning to truly cement himself as a reliable option off the bench.

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Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/2/23/...-final-score-recap-tyler-herro-damian-lillard

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Move the ball‽ Crunching the Bucks’ playtype stats

Generally, move the ball!

It happens every game. One minute, the Milwaukee Bucks are playing free-flowing offense, and the next minute, they’re not. Crucially, the flow-less minutes seem to give the scoreboard operator a respite as the scoring dries up.

Although it certainly feels this way, I wanted to peek under the hood to see if the numbers bear it out. I think that doing so is particularly compelling due to the top-heavy nature of this iteration of the Bucks. With generational offensive talents in Giannis and Dame, do we really want them to pass the ball to... Kyle Kuzma?

To do so, I looked at player and team stats for different playtypes on NBA.com over the All-Star Break (rocket science, I know). The key number was points per possession (PPP), which I deemed “good” or “bad,” depending on whether it was above or below Milwaukee’s average PPP (which is 13th in the league at 1.14). Brief disclaimer: the playtype is what ends the possession: an isolation that turns into a spot-up counts as a spot-up. Certain playtypes have relatively low PPP because they are primarily used to set up other playtypes.

Let’s start with the antithesis of ball movement: isolation. The Bucks are actually relatively good in isolation (sixth in the league), but it only nets them 0.96 PPP. The best isolation scorer on the team—you guessed it, Dame—is at 1.06 (good for ninth in the league among folks with at least one isolation possession per game), still bad compared to the Bucks’ average PPP.

Other playtypes with limited ball movement are (a) pick and rolls when the ball handler keeps it and (b) post-ups. The Bucks don’t fare great on either: 0.92 PPP for the former and 0.96 for the latter. At least the former is good for ninth in the league; the latter has them at 19th. And no players are above the Bucks’ average PPP for either pick-and-roll ball handler or post-up.

In sum, not a great look for not moving the ball, although post-ups are the most glaring area for improvement compared to league-wide averages (GASP). That said, it’s a bit unfair to judge these numbers too harshly because of the aforementioned disclaimer: pick and rolls, for example, often lead to other good actions, but then they aren’t counted as PnRs.

Let’s look at the other side of ball movement. The Bucks’ best playtype is cutting, good for 1.27 PPP. However, they are only 19th in the league, indicating both that cuts are effective and there is room for improvement. The best cutting scorer on the team—you guessed it again, Giannis—is at 1.55 (fifth in the league among folks with at least one cut possession per game), and Brook is also up there at 1.50.

...but that’s the only playtype where the Bucks actually outpace their average PPP. They are at least decent when it comes to pick and rolls where the roller gets it (1.15 PPP, ninth in the league). Given that AJ Green, Taurean Prince, and Gary Trent Jr. are the three guys who outpace the Bucks’ average PPP here, I’m guessing this has more to do with pick-and-pops that are lumped into this playtype.

Otherwise, for spot-ups (1.08, sixth in the league), handoffs (1.07, top in the league!), and off-screen (0.90, 25th in the league) playtypes, the Bucks are below their average PPP. But they do relatively well for spot-ups and handoffs. For spot-ups, it’s thanks to the above threesome of three-point shooters, and for handoffs, it’s thanks to AJG, who is seventh in the league among folks with at least one handoff possession per game (which might explain why he gets all those handoffs!). There’s room for improvement with off-screen action, but Dame at least outpaces Milwaukee’s average PPP.

So what does this mean for the titular interrobang: Move the ball‽ Generally, move the ball! There are a wide variety of player-playtype combinations that rely on ball movement to generate above-average opportunities for the Bucks, but no combinations involving playtypes that do not rely on ball movement.

Still, the stats above reveal strengths that the Bucks can exploit and weaknesses that they can improve. Whether we like it or not, they are relatively good in isolation and when the pick-and-roll ball handler keeps it. That doesn’t mean that they should be the first arrow pulled from the quiver, but they are useful to have when the shot clock winds down, legs get tired, and the calendar gets closer to June.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/2/24/...-isolation-dame-lillard-giannis-antetokounmpo

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks vs. Heat: Extinguishing Miami

Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Bucks ride a hot fourth quarter en route to a comeback victory

In a fantastic finish down the stretch that saw a dramatic lead change, the Milwaukee Bucks came from behind and took down the Miami Heat, 116-111. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast Bucks In Six Minutes below.

What Did We Learn?​

For yet another game, Kevin Porter Jr. was able to make quite the impact off the bench. Last night, he came in and flipped the script for the Bucks, helping fuel a 12-0 run that gave Milwaukee a lead they wouldn’t let go. All in all, Scoot finished with 11 points on 4/7 shooting. The turning point of the game was in the beginning of the fourth. Up until that point, the Bucks just seemed to be unable to match the potency of Miami’s offense. Doc also thought that the Heat were the more physical team in the first half, which helped them pad their lead. In addition to the offense he brought, Doc praised his defensive efforts as well. KPJ has now scored double-figures in a season-high four consecutive games.

Three Observations​

Doc felt that the Bucks gave Tyler Herro too much space.

Tyler Herro was feeling it all night long. He exploded for a game-high 40 points and went 12/27 shooting with several threes. It truly seemed as if he was able to get whatever shot he wanted at times and postgame, Doc seemed to agree.

“I thought we gave him too much space. And we talked about it at halftime. You gotta get into his airspace and make him uncomfortable. You know, if you remember in the first half, I don’t think you can remember one time him bringing the ball up and anyone turning him. Just kind of brought it up — free. I mean, he had a free game until the mid-third.

Doc then switched to discussing the job Kyle Kuzma did on the defensive side of the ball on Herro, praising him for his efforts. On what Kuz was able to do to make it tough for Herro:

“His length. You know, twice he pump faked and couldn’t get it up, had to pass it. The two things he did was he stayed in front of the ball square and then he didn’t bite.”

That effort from Kuzma was particularly encouraging to see, especially based off what he was doing from the offensive side of the coin. He’d finish with 16 points eventually, but was struggling to get much traction going in the first half. The fact that he was able to contribute defensively on a talent like Herro was something that truly helped Milwaukee get the win.

Brook Lopez continues to bring consistency on offense.

It wasn’t a pretty 17 points, but yet again, Lopez finished in double-figures. He wouldn’t get the wheels turning until a little later in the game, but regardless, he made his presence felt and helped the Bucks secure victory with it. His final stat line would read 6/11 from the field with two threes, resulting in 17 points. He’s now scored at least 10+ points in four consecutive games and eight of his last nine overall. He’s now averaging 14.9 points per game over his last nine games and he’s shot at least 50% from the field in his last five games.

Damian Lillard continues to do Damian Lillard things.

Dame led the Bucks in scoring, rattling off 28 points on 9/17 shooting. He’d sink five threes on the night, including one from the F in the Forum portion of the Fiserv Forum decal. This marks his fifth 20-point performance in his last six games. He wasn’t just scoring the basketball, either. He facilitated eight assists. He’s now dished out 5+ assists in 12 straight games, which is the fourth-longest active streak in the NBA this season and ties the ninth-longest such streak of his career.

Bonus Bucks Bits​

• Andre Jackson got four seconds of action in this one and finished with a -1 RPM. Oof.
• Is it time for Doc to change the starting lineup? Taurean Prince got the start in this one, being paired alongside Giannis, Kuzma, Lopez, and Dame. However, he failed to do much of anything offensively and seemed to struggle defensively. There are options for Doc if he does decide to try something…maybe AJ Green or Gary Trent Jr.?
• Kel’el Ware is going to be very special for the Heat. He posted a double-double with 12 points and 12 boards. He’s now tied for the third-most double-doubles among rookies this season with seven and he’s one of just five first-year players with 5+ double-doubles.
• Giannis scored 23 points and hauled in 16 boards. That marks his seventh game of the season with 20+ points and 15+ rebounds (6th in the NBA). He also didn’t attempt a single free throw, marking just his sixth career game scoring 20+ points without a FTA and his first such game since Feb. 13, 2024, which, oddly enough, was also against the Heat.
• Gary Trent Jr. was also massive off the bench. He shot 60% (3/5) from the perimeter. He’s now scratched 15+ points 12 times this season. He’s also now shot 60% or better from the field in 17 games this season, which ranks third in the NBA behind his teammate Taurean Prince (18) and Nikola Jokic (18).

Up Next​

The Bucks are now off until Tuesday, which is when they’ll head to Space City and take on the Houston Rockets. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CST. Catch the action on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin or stream it on our Playback and YouTube channels.

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Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/2/24/...e-review-takeaways-damian-lillard-tyler-herro

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Vote in the Brew Hoop Tuesday Tracker: Starting lineup conundrum

Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Tracking the larger sentiments of Bucks fans week by week.

Out of the All-Star break, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers mercifully ended the Andre Jackson Jr. starting lineup experiment. What worked well for a time has long since passed as his defense has waned—opponents aren’t scoring much worse when he’s on the floor—and when he’s started alongside Giannis Antetokoukmpo, Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez, and Taurean Prince, they are -2.2 per 100 possessions according to Cleaning The Glass. AJax has gotten off the bench for just two or three minutes in the past two games after logging a DNP-CD last Thursday.

Where can the Bucks go from here with Kyle Kuzma now in the fold? Excepting Friday’s Washington tilt, Rivers has gone with a pretty big starting five with Kuzma and Prince. Early returns aren’t great, in part because both of those guys aren’t well-suited to guarding down. Teams like Miami, who use smaller wing tandems, aren’t good fits for Prince’s game, and he barely played in the second half on Sunday. AJ Green and Gary Trent Jr. saw nearly all of the minutes at the two the rest of the way. Those two figure to see the bulk of the action there in closing lineups, but it’s time one of them becomes a fixture beyond the second unit.

In this week’s Tuesday Tracker, we want your thoughts on who should start next to the longer-tenured trio of Giannis, Dame, and Lopez. We also will take your opinions on the roles of new Bucks Kevin Porter Jr. and Jericho Sims moving forward, plus the Bobby Portis suspension.

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As always, this poll will be open until midnight Central on Friday, and we’ll post the results later that day. Thanks for voting!

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/2/25/...ortis-suspension-kevin-porter-jr-jericho-sims

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Rapid Recap: Rockets 100, Bucks 97

Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

Offensive rebounding woes sink Milwaukee

The Milwaukee Bucks got throttled by turnover and offensive rebounding woes, losing 97-100 to the Houston Rockets. Giannis led the Bucks with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. The Rockets had 48 points combined by Jalen Green and Amen Thompson.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap​

Both teams traded buckets (and misses) in the opening minutes. Then the Rockets got a bit of separation behind buckets from Jalen Green and Alperen Şengün, but the Bucks got right back with crucial scores from (their own) Green and Giannis. At the first timeout, it was 26-20 Houston. Both teams went relatively cold from there, and the quarter ended with the Rockets up 30-25.

KPJ got the Bucks off the mark in the second with a pick-six into a dunk, followed by a Kuz wing triple, and another KPJ open-court steal to cap the Bucks’ electrifying 7-0 run to start the second. The Bucks then let themselves down a bit, allowing their fifth offensive rebound to give the Rockets yet another second-chance opportunity—the one major letdown of the game thus far. These missed rebounding opportunities were compounded by consecutive Rockets transition threes to increase the lead to 44-36. Crucially, Dame then made two transition threes off Taurean The Creator passes to respond. From there, the Bucks finished pretty damn well, leading 59-57 at half.

Both teams got off to slow starts out of the half, trading misses (and buckets) in the opening minutes. I swear Giannis got the chair pulled out from him while simultaneously being pulled down for, like, the third time in the game and the referees just refused to call it. Very frustrating. The Bucks then took two bad shots, leading to easy points down the other end, but the Rockets did the same thing, allowing the Bucks to go on their own 5-0 run, bringing the deficit to three at 75-78. AJ Green came up huge after that with back-to-back threes to wrench the lead back to Milwaukee. Game was tied at 85 at the end of three.

The fourth quarter lineup of KPJ, Trent, Kuz, Green, and Sims was rough. There were four turnovers and, like, three blocked shots in the space of the opening three minutes. Remarkably, the Rockets were equally as ugly, only registering three points during that stretch as Doc put an end to the suffering, calling a timeout. Giannis and Dame checked in with just over seven minutes to go to give the team its first score with 6:02 left (!) in the game. Holy moly. The Bucks immediately went on a 6-0 run, including an Amen Thompson flagrant two foul on Giannis. Then the game turned into a rock fight for the last few minutes and the Bucks just frittered away multiple great opportunities. Kuz had a bad turnover, a blown transition layup, and a missed open three. Then Giannis confusingly fouled Şengün down one with 30 seconds on the clock to gift the Rockets a three-point lead. That three-point lead was very notable because with about seven seconds left, Dame shot a half-court attempt knowing that the Rockets were trying to foul up three and the refs refused to give him three shots! Just one of the worst refereeing decisions I’ve seen, personally. Then the plot thickened once again, with Giannis and Şengün both called for a lane violation on a Dame free throw, leading to a jump ball at centre court where Dame got an open look to tie it, but missed. Bucks lose.

Stat That Stood Out​

Both teams turned the ball over quite a bit; the Bucks had 13 and the Rockets had 15. But it was offensive rebounding that killed Milwaukee, giving up a total of 16, with six of them coming in the final frame.

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Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/2/25/...nnis-damian-lillard-jalen-green-amen-thompson

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks Podcast Roundup: The Damian Lillard Story, pt. 2

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Doc also stops by for a convo with the Johnsons, while Kyle Kuzma chats with Gale.

After the first of the Bucks+ team’s four-part pod series The Damian Lillard Story dropped last week, narrated by Chris Haynes, part two retells a bit of Dame’s story in Portland. While it’s pretty focused on the Blazers and how his time there ended, which will be interesting for all the Blazers fans who drop by here to check in on Dame, we do hear a little bit about how the Bucks became involved. I imagine we’ll learn more in part three next week:

Next up on Hear District, Doc Rivers joins Marques and Kris for his first appearance on the Johnsons’ pod. Some fun stories from the time where both old heads were in the league, plus some chatter about the current Bucks. Marques’ Mailbag also returns, but he and Kris have a pretty great discussion beforehand about the negative commentary surrounding the league in recent years. I recommend you check it out—hard not to agree with what they’re saying:

Last but not least, Gale Klappa gets on the phone with Kyle Kuzma for what is likely his longest interview since joining the Bucks:

You can also check out these podcasts on the Bucks’ webpage at nba.com/bucks/plus.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-podc...podcasts-damian-lillard-doc-rivers-kyle-kuzma

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

3 post-All-Star questions for the Bucks

Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

With 25 games left, can Milwaukee answer these burning questions?

It’s already been an eventful season for the Milwaukee Bucks in the first 57 games. Shipping out franchise icon Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards for Kyle Kuzma, winning the NBA Cup title against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the consistent inconsistency of the team as a whole, and more recently the suspension of Bobby Portis, has led them to the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. As of today, they’re a 1/2 a game back of the Indiana Pacers for the fourth seed and five games back of the New York Knicks for no. 3.

With 25 games left in the regular season, there are some very important questions left for the Bucks to answer before they begin a potentiality deep playoff run.

Can Kevin Porter Jr be a reliable backup point guard?​

Outside of the big move for Kuzma, the Bucks did trade former first-round pick MarJon Beauchamp to the Los Angeles Clippers for (technically) a former Bucks draftee in 2019, Kevin Porter Jr. KPJ, who didn’t play in the NBA last season due to domestic assault charges and behavioral issues, signed a two-year deal with the Clippers in July with the second year with a player option. In 45 games with the Clippers, averaged 9.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game on .423/.245/.645 shooting splits. It was a battle between him and Kris Dunn for the backup point guard role and with Dunn’s superior defense, the Clippers opted for Dunn over KPJ, later sending him to Milwaukee.

Porter has been something of a revelation in his six games in a Bucks uniform. Since arriving, he’s taken over as the new backup point guard, with Ryan Rollins barely playing the other night against Miami and playing less than 10 minutes against Golden State and Philly (he did start against Washington and Minnesota, when Dame was out). His scoring hasn’t bumped up much (up to 8.8 PPG), but he has had some big moments already in bringing an offensive spark to the Bucks. None was bigger than his performance against the Heat, with him going on a personal 7-0 scoring run to tie the game at 95 before throwing a beautiful lob pass to fellow newcomer Jericho Sims to take the lead.

The main question on my mind is whether or not he can keep this up. His three-point shooting has been non-existent this entire season after 37.5% and 36.6% on over six attempts per game in his two previous seasons, so whether he can last driving to the rim or in the midrange will be something to watch. If he can, with Portis suspended, his offense off the bench with Gary Trent Jr. will be invaluable to support the Bucks’ stars.

Can Jericho Sims hold down the fort at the backup center?​

Speaking of the Portis suspension, the guy that will have to man his role (unless the Bucks sign another big after the fifth game of Portis’ suspension) will be Sims. Before that, Sims never saw the floor in the four games after the Bucks acquired him from the New York Knicks for Delon Wright and cash. Now in need of size, Sims has played in the next three games and was a combined +16 when on the floor before going -9 last night. While he’s only scored a total of two points in his Bucks tenure, he has been excellent on the glass averaging 3.3 RPG in his limited run. Yet, the box score doesn’t tell the whole story with Sims. Outside of his obvious leaping ability, his athleticism allows him to switch onto wings on the perimeter and recover much quicker in drop zone coverage. Just like on this play here against the Washington Wizards, Sims drops off of Alex Sarr to help Porter on a driving Corey Kispert, forcing a pass back to the perimeter to Jordan Poole. After the pass, Sims recovers to Sarr and plays the drop well to help AJ Green, forcing a bad shot from Poole at the end of the shot clock, leading to a bank shot floater from Porter of a Sims screen.

Granted, the Bucks haven't played many world-beaters since the second half of the season began (Clippers, Wizards, and Heat), but these are the types of habits you want to see out of Sims. This allows him to develop with the team on the floor in big minutes, which will get him ready for the playoffs as Portis works his way back in from his suspension. Also, with him doing this against the “non-elite” teams in the league, you at least hope that it translates when the Knicks, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Will Giannis and Dame stay healthy in time for the playoffs?​

This is by far the most important question for the Milwaukee Bucks for the rest of this season and the rest of the time Dame and Giannis play together. Dame is 34 years old and will be 35 by the time next season starts. Giannis, by the nature of his playstyle, will get bumps and bruises and the occasional week-to-week injury. There have only been 11 games this season in which Giannis and Dame had to play without their co-star, but as the season wears on, who knows what other injuries may pop up. Who saw the left soleus injury coming for Giannis after their win against the Boston Celtics near the end of last season? I do think they are on track by having the two of them on a minute restriction as they work themselves back after the All-Star break. It acts as almost a mini-break while still being able to play the games. Giannis nor Dame has to play 35–40 minutes against the New Orleans Pelicans in a random game in February, March, or April. The more time they can save themselves for the bigger games for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs, the better. Whether it will work is yet to be seen, all we can do is hope (and pray, if you do that) that we can finally see what these two can do in the playoffs.

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Do you think the Bucks can answer any of these questions in time for the playoffs? What else are you questioning about the Bucks in the final 25 games of the regular season? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/2/26/...portis-suspension-kevin-porter-junior-giannis

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Report: Bucks waive Liam Robbins

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Move signals start of roster reshuffle

As the Milwaukee Bucks continue to gear up with an eye on the NBA postseason, they’ve gone ahead and done a little roster hedge trimming this afternoon per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype:

The Milwaukee Bucks are waiving two-way center Liam Robbins, league sources told @hoopshypeofficial.bsky.social. The 7-foot center appeared in 13 games for Milwaukee this season.

— Michael Scotto (@mikeascotto.bsky.social) 2025-02-27T22:00:18.519Z

Robbins has been around the team since training camp where he was able to secure a spot as the nominal deep (deep) bench big. Despite his size he was never called into duty on a regular basis with a mere 13 appearances and averages of 4.4 minutes, 0.7 points, and 0.9 rebounds. Aged 25 going on 26, he was always an emergency availability play rather than a developmental piece for GM Jon Horst. That the Bucks largely avoided needing his services is a testament to the durability—until recently—of Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The arrival of Jericho Sims at the trade deadline reduced Liam’s necessity to nil even with Portis suspended for 25 games.

The biggest short-term consequence of the waiver is on the roster. Right now the team retains Ryan Rollins and Stanley Umude on two-way contracts. Rollins is set to hit his maximum number of appearances allowed for a player on his deal (50) tonight against the Nuggets. In order to remain available for selection, he’ll need to be converted to a full-time roster spot.

Site manager Van Fayaz ran through the finer points here, but the main takeaways are:

• Milwaukee can (temporarily) open another full roster spot when they move Bobby Portis to the suspended player list
• Even if they convert Ryan Rollins to a full deal they’ll have a place open for a pickup from the buyout market
• Only players bought out of their deal before March 1st are playoff eligible if they sign with a different team
• Once Bobby returns from suspension, if the roster is at its full 15 player complement, someone will need to be let go (i.e. waived)
• When/if Rollins moves to a full contract the Bucks will then have two open two-way spots to fill
• Two-way players can be signed through Tuesday, March 4th
• Two-way players cannot participate in postseason play

In summary, we should see some resolutions forthcoming on the roster’s makeup as we hit the final stretch of the season. Perhaps the most exciting part? Seeing who Horst is able to dig up from the environs of global basketball to slot into a now-open two-way contract.

Finally, best wishes to Liam Robbins on wherever his basketball journey takes him next.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/2/27/...free-agency-two-way-ryan-rollins-bobby-portis

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Report: Bucks sign Pete Nance to two-way deal

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Not the Nance we were expecting to see in Milwaukee

Fresh off their win against the Denver Nuggets just a few moments ago, the Milwaukee Bucks have filled their two-way contract slot. After cutting Liam Robbins earlier today, they signed big man Pete Nance to a two-way deal, according to Shams Charnia of ESPN. If you were wondering, yes, Pete is the brother of Hawks center Larry Nance Jr.

FROM SHAMS: The Milwaukee Bucks are planning to sign F/C Pete Nance on a two-way NBA deal, sources tell ESPN. Nance played seven games for the 76ers this season amid a strong season for the G League's Cleveland Charge.

— Shams Charania Tweets (& Other NBA News) (@shamsbot.bsky.social) 2025-02-28T03:28:08.404522+00:00

Nance played seven games this season for the Philadelphia 76ers after signing two separate two-way deals just over a month apart. Philly waived him a third time on February 6 after the NBA trade deadline. In those seven games, he averaged 9.7 minutes, 2.1 points, and 1.4 rebounds per game. After playing for Northwestern and North Carolina, Nance went undrafted out of college in 2023. He signed an Exhibit-10 deal, a 10-day contract, and a two-way deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2023–24 season. The Cavs declined his qualifying offer and signed him to another Exhibit-10 deal, then he was cut before the season started on October 19.

Nance does have some ability to shoot; in five NCAA seasons, his career averages were 9.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting .449/.347/.759.

The Bucks are now officially full on two-way contracts when you add in Ryan Rollins and Stanley Umude. They still do have one open roster spot (and can create another this weekend), and Rollins is out of games on his two-way deal, so we’ll have to wait and see if and when the Bucks decide to give Rollins a pro-rated league minimum. We’ll make sure to keep you updated on when that happens and another potential two-way signing that could be on the way after that.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/2/27/...deal-larry-nance-ryan-rollins-nba-free-agency

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks Tracking Poll Results: Week 18

85% of our voters want a change to the starting lineup, and most want Kyle Kuzma to remain.

In this week’s Tuesday Tracker, we asked you about Bobby Portis’ suspension, the starting lineup, plus the roles of Kevin Porter Jr. and Jericho Sims. Here are the highlights:

• A solid majority of respondents are buying Portis’ mistaking a legal medication for a banned one as an explanation for his failed drug test.
• Only 27% think this will change his decision-making process on his $13.4m team option this summer, though, but 55% of them think he’ll opt in and remain with the Bucks.
• Of the 87% of fans polled who want Kyle Kuzma to remain a starter, 47% of them want AJ Green to take Taurean Prince’s starting spot and 35% want it to go to Gary Trent Jr. More broadly, a similar 49% want Green to start and 39% want Trent to start.
• 61% of voters think Sims should remain in the rotation as the fourth big once the playoffs begin.
• Jon Horst has hit his highest approval rating in some time at 66%, while Doc Rivers is less popular at 47%.
• Also for the first time in a while, a plurality (47%) think this team can win the NBA Finals, while 32% disagree.

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Thanks again for voting! Check back on Tuesday for another slate of questions.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/2/28/...er-jr-jericho-sims-starting-lineup-kyle-kuzma

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks vs. Nuggets: Elevating to victory

Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Milwaukee survives Denver’s comeback attempt

In a nationally televised matchup, the Milwaukee Bucks were able to survive the Denver Nuggets’ comeback attempts, closing the door on a 121-112 victory.

Giannis Antetokounmpo concluded the night with 28 points to lead the Bucks. Nikola Jokic did Nikola Jokic things and secured a triple-double with a 32 point/14 rebound/ten assist performance.

Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast Bucks In Six Minutes below.

What Did We Learn?​

Despite Giannis being on a minutes restriction, they were still able to get the victory. This has been something that’s welcomed by Doc Rivers, as it allows them to explore flexibility in these games. Here’s what Doc said during his postgame presser:

“That’s a good question. We’re hoping that during this minute restriction thing, you know, it’s so funny. Giannis is getting about sick of it, though. He’s close. You can feel it. Today, when we took him out, he had made three or four in a row. He was not a happy camper. But he’s doing it and the other guys are playing well for us and that’s great. That second unit, they came in and stretched the lead for us. That’s huge minutes to start the fourth quarter.”

As we inch closer and closer to springtime and start to sniff the postseason, it’s going to be more and more crucial for the Bucks to continue finding ways to win. Tonight, that was exactly the case, as it was a cast of characters that helped get things done. It wasn’t one man that led them the entire way, but rather a culmination of balanced scoring from everyone involved.

Three Observations​

The bench unit that started the fourth seemed to develop the turning point of the game.

I mentioned it in the Rapid Recap, but the unit of Jericho Sims, Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr., Kyle Kuzma, and AJ Green found themselves on the court to begin the fourth. In the past, we’ve seen Milwaukee start quarters sluggish and in a sleepwalking manner. However, that wasn’t the case this time around. That group was able to build momentum on the lead and open up a double-digit advantage, carving a path towards victory for the Bucks. Despite only one player from the bench scoring double-digits, (GTJ with 15), it was truly a well-rounded effort.

Brook Lopez was appreciated tonight.

I know some Bucks fans still may be frustrated with him after his 3PA late in the Houston game, but last night, Lopez was big for the Bucks. He finished with 22 points on 7/16 from the floor and knocked down 7/8 free throws. With this outing, he’s now surpassed the 10+ point total for the sixth straight game. On the other end of the floor, Rivers decided to match Lopez’s minutes with Jokic’s. Despite Joker scratching out a triple-double, Doc still praised Brook’s effort, describing his performance as magnificent.

The Bucks were able to close this one out.

As the fourth quarter melted away, it began to seem as if the Bucks were going to be able to maintain their advantage and easily pull out the victory. However, Denver’s starters had other options, as they sliced things down to just a five-point deficit late. Despite that, the Bucks remained composed and able to keep their eyes on the prize. Clutch execution along with timely shots was enough to push them over the finish line. Against a seasoned team like Denver, that’s something that can be appreciated, especially as the playoffs grow nearer and nearer. Those types of games are only going to become more frequent as the season starts to wind down and it’s promising that the Bucks were able to finish the job.

Bonus Bucks Bits​

• It’s still awesome to watch Russell Westbrook play basketball. He continues to give it his absolute all and is a freak athlete. He obviously doesn’t have the juice he used to have, but he knows how to amplify an offense.
• The fact that the Bucks had six scorers in double figures was a welcomed sight. Again, it takes the load off of Giannis and Dame and puts more pressure on opposing defenses to find a plug to stop the scoring.
• The Bucks are now 20-1 this season when scoring 120+ points, and its 16 games with 120+ points at home are the fourth-most in the NBA this season.
• The defense was quite effective in this one for the Bucks. Milwaukee held Denver, which entered last night’s game averaging 121.3 points per game (3rd in the NBA) on 38.1% shooting from three (3rd in the NBA), to just 112 points on 26.5% three-point shooting in this one. Milwaukee has now kept opponents under 30% shooting from three in 15 games this season (T-7th in NBA) and they own a 12-3 record in those games.
• In addition to being the team’s leading scorer, Giannis was a rebounding machine. He hauled in a season-high 19 boards while also tallying seven dimes. He’s now secured 15+ rebounds in two of his last three games.
• Julian Strawther is a nice bench piece for the Nuggets. He hit some timely shots in this one as he picked up 12 points in 20 minutes of action, going 5/8 from the floor.
• That dunk by Christian Braun on Brook Lopez sure was something. Wow.

Up Next​

The Bucks are now off until Saturday, which is when they’ll head down to Dallas to battle the Mavericks. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CST and can be viewed on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin or streamed on our Playback and YouTube channels.

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Support our site! | BreakingT | ESPN+ | ESPN+ 30 For 30 | fuboTV | Disney+

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/2/28/...-takeaways-giannis-antetokounmpo-nikola-jokic

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks vs. Mavericks: Game Thread

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (Central)

The Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas Mavericks lock horns tonight for the first time this season. It’s fair to say that Dallas is a wounded animal right now, but as the saying goes, “a wounded tiger is a dangerous beast.” Can the Bucks put forth a professional performance and get their sixth win in seven games?

As far as injury updates since this morning’s preview Gary Trent Jr. was listed as questionable earlier today with a non-Covid illness.

Update: Trent is playing, per Eric Nehm.

Check out the full preview here, then follow along below on Playback and on Twitter. As always, go Bucks!

How To Watch​

FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 7:30 p.m. CST or watch locally on the following stations:

WMLW & WYTU (Milwaukee)

WISC (Madison)

WMEI (Green Bay)

WECX (Eau Claire/La Crosse)

WYOW (Wausau)

WQAD (Davenport, IA, Rock Island/Moline, IL)

Playback Streaming​

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Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/3/1/2...ead-starting-lineup-tv-schedule-injury-report

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks vs. Mavericks: A professional victory

Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images

Milwaukee won a game they expected to win

The Milwaukee Bucks sent the struggling Dallas Mavericks to another loss, winning 132-117. Giannis was the Bucks’ top performer with a 29-9-9 near triple-double, plus two blocks to boot. Additionally, Damian Lillard was stellar with 28 points, six assists, six rebounds, and two steals; Gary Trent Jr. chipped in 20 points of his own. With Anthony Davis out, it was a one-man show for the Mavs; Kyrie Irving dropped 31 points on 9/23 shooting. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast Bucks In Six Minutes below.

What Did We Learn?​

Maybe this is just me, but something I have worried about with the Bucks throughout the years they’ve been competing for championships is that it’s felt like there hasn’t been as much of “a plan” to what they’ve wanted to do from night to night as I’d have liked. I still feel that way sometimes, but last night was the opposite for me. Milwaukee was strategic and smart in their gameplan for most of the night. For example, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that with Davis, Gafford, and Lively out, there would be opportunities for Giannis to score on the inside. Even so, the way Doc made that objective easier for Giannis was simple, yet very effective. Let’s go through a new set (at least from what I could tell) they ran a fair few times throughout the game:

As you can see, they run the guard (works best if they command lots of gravity, like Dame) off what’s called an “Iverson cut,” where the player cuts diagonally off two screens at the top, clearing space in the area they just vacated. Then, the first screener (in this case Brook) just turns and sets another screen in the opposite direction for Giannis to get a head of steam towards a backpedalling, inexperienced big in Moses Brown. Simple, yet effective! Doc praised the team’s focus on execution postgame:

“We’ve been preaching this all year: if you find a set [that works], you stay on the set; do not go away from it. I thought we did that three different times in the game in a different set and scored on every option… That’s a good lesson for us: you don’t need to go to anything else if that’s working.”

Three Observations​

Giannis played well out of the doubles Dallas threw at him all game.​

Dallas had a clear plan of throwing immediate double-teams at Antetokounmpo when he caught it in the post. His willingness to get off it quick was a big reason they got high-quality looks elsewhere. Giannis said that “he has to” enjoy the double teams postgame:

“Either you’re going to get frustrated and try to keep on fighting the double team, or you’ve got to try to bait [the opponent] as much as you can. We have great players out there; if you put everybody in the right position, when the double comes you can pick them apart.”

I’ve been crying out for a Jericho Sims-type for so long.​

Ever since I became a supporter of the Bucks, I’ve wanted a big who pursues rebounds with everything they’ve got. Love ‘em, but Giannis and Bobby are two guys who are often, in my opinion, way “too cool” about rebounding. Feels like they sometimes assume rebounds are just going to land in their lap—and don’t get me started on not boxing out (the guards are not blameless in the boxing out category either, to be clear). Whereas Sims sees the ball, boxes out, explodes up, and grabs the damn thing. Jericho, you know the way to my heart!

Just a few more notes on Sims: firstly, He had some awesome one-on-one possessions on defence. Secondly, I assume the Mavs were purposely blitzing the ball-handler in Jericho’s screening actions and leaving him on the short roll because they obviously didn’t trust his four-on-three decision-making. And to Sims’ credit, he made the correct pass on the few plays in which he was put in that situation, such as this one:

The team did an admirable job defending Kyrie Irving.​

As was laid out in the intro, Irving finished the night with 31 points on 9/23 from the field and 2/9 from three. Probably too many free throws (11 attempts), but by and large, you take those numbers. I flagged in the game preview that it didn’t feel like the Bucks had a great matchup for Irving, but they kind of defended him by committee and stuck to the plan. The point-of-attack defender forced Kyrie into a crowd by not letting him reject screens; the dropping big was up a step or two higher than usual, understanding that they can give up the short-roll pass to Brown or Powell and rotate from there. It was just impressive execution of a plan to defend Irving that takes five guys, not one.

Bonus Bucks Bits​

• He didn’t really fit into my segments above, but Dame was just terrific as a calming presence. His defensive effort also does not go unnoticed.
• Gary Trent Jr. looked set for a big night until he missed a fair few threes in the end. Still, his shot-making was crucial in the competitive portion of the game.
• Weird Kuz game. Probably the first game I’d say he definitively did not play well. Maybe the ankle injury bothered him. Also, his rim finishing is an adventure; goodness me.
• I’m sorry, but AJ Green must do something about his fouling. Dude plays great defence just to reach in at the final seconds way too often.
• Seems minor, but KPJ is one of the liveliest guys on the bench from what I observe. He has spoken about bringing energy to the group, and this is a great example of him doing just that—even when he’s not playing.
• Dallas had just eight O boards, compared to Milwaukee’s 14. This tracks, considering the size mismatch.
• Moses Brown was actually pretty good for the Mavs. I heard on the broadcast that last night had to be Brown’s final game with them because he was at the end of his second 10-day contract and they couldn’t sign him due to their proximity to their hard cap.

Up Next​

The Bucks now get two days off, with their next game coming on Tuesday. Watch at 6:30 p.m. Central on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin or stream it on our Playback and YouTube channels.

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Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/3/2/2...nis-damian-lillard-gary-trent-jr-kyrie-irving

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Rapid Recap: Bucks 132, Mavericks 117

Milwaukee gets the W in D-Town

The Milwaukee Bucks dug themselves out of an early hole to win comfortably over the battered and bruised Dallas Mavericks, 132-117. Giannis starred for the Bucks with a 29-9-9 near triple-double. Milwaukee defended Kyrie Irving decently well, I thought, but he still ended the night with 31 points.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap​

Milwaukee’s 2/10 start from three (as well as some blown off-ball defensive coverage) allowed the Mavs to grab a small lead through seven minutes. To complicate matters, a Kyle Kuzma rolled ankle sent him back to the locker room, but he would return to the court after a few minutes of game action. Ultimately, the Bucks’ inability to contain dribble penetration had them down 31-36 after one.

Two early turnovers by the Bucks had the Mavs increasing their edge a bit more, but multiple Trent threes kept the Bucks within speaking distance. Unfortunately, another TO—and soft foul from Kuzma on the Naji Marshall and-one—gave the Mavs their biggest lead of the game at 10, up 53-43. After what felt like an eternity sitting on the bench, Dame and Giannis checked back in and Dallas’ lead was immediately cut in half. The ball started to move much better late in the half, with Trent, Prince, and Lillard paying off that movement with crucial triples. This gave the Bucks their first advantage since the score was 15-13; at half, they led 71-63.

Dame’s midranger followed by a TP four-point play was exactly what the doctor ordered out of the half for Milwaukee. Giannis then exploded off the high pick-and-roll for a massive Gyro-step jam over Moses Brown. Another Lillard midrange shot capped the 10-2 run, forcing the Dallas timeout less than three minutes into the period. The Bucks would continue to score easily for the next few minutes. However, the pace of the game slowed a bit after that. Milwaukee turnovers and late shot clock attempts gave the Mavs some momentum as the lead went from 18 to 14 and Doc called timeout. The squad responded by pushing the lead back out to 19 in short order. To their credit, the Kuz + second unit lineup extended the lead; Bucks up 101-79 after three.

The Mavs fought hard on defence and wrangled the deficit back to 15 with just under eight minutes left behind some Kyrie Irving magic, but the Bucks took back control when Dame and Giannis checked in. Dallas was sending immediate doubles to Giannis when he caught the ball on the block, and the Bucks made them pay from three because of it. Dallas made a late comeback, getting the lead down to 12, but it was not enough. Bucks win.

Stat That Stood Out​

Giannis, a 58% free throw shooter on the year, went 11/13 from the free throw line tonight. His makes in the first half were crucial to keeping Milwaukee in it and then extending the lead late in the second quarter.

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Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/3/1/2...nis-damian-lillard-gary-trent-jr-kyrie-irving

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Wisconsin Herd Weekly Wrap: Lights, tunnels, etc.

Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images

Game recaps from February 20 to March 1

The Wisconsin Herd ended the week (or a little over) going 2-3, making their path to the playoffs much more difficult from here. Here are this week’s results:

Wisconsin Herd vs. Capital City Go-Go: LOSS (106-113)​

• Henry Ellenson: 24 points, nine rebounds, two steals, 9/14 FG
• Chris Livingston: 17 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, 7/17 FG, 0/4 3PT
• Stanley Umude: 14 points, six rebounds, three assists, 6/15 FG, 2/9 3PT

I couldn’t watch this game, but the team does seem to be missing the pace AJ Johnson provided a little bit. Another solid game from Ellenson, as has largely become custom for him. CL seems to be picking it up of late; got to get some of those threes to go, though. Umude appeared to really struggle in this one; again, those three-point numbers simply must improve for his game to translate, man. I do like his size and the way he moves his feet on defence, but the offence must get better at the G League level. If you wanted to be charitable, you could posit that offseason ankle surgery has messed with his rhythm this year.

Wisconsin Herd vs. Motor City Cruise: LOSS (91-127)​

• Chris Livingston: 20 points, three steals, 7/12 FG, 2/4 3PT, three turnovers
• Stanley Umude: 18 points, seven rebounds, three assists, 6/16 FG, 2/4 3PT, three turnovers
• Henry Ellenson: 14 points, 5/13 FG, 0/2 3PT, four turnovers

This game was competitive until halftime, and then the wheels fell off. Wisconsin’s inability to run Detroit Pistons two-way player Daniss Jenkins off the line was staggering. This dude went for 41 points on 8/11 from three. As far as Herd guys go, I would say this was an encouraging game from Chris Livingston; he made a few catch-and-shoot triples where the release looked quicker, which is what I’m looking for most from him. And the numbers from this game do look nice on paper, but I can’t shake that much of it looked unrepeatable to me; quite a few of his looks were contested, off-the-dribble attempts that rolled around and went down. I want to see it with Chris, I do. But he just has a janky-looking jump shot and these boxy, stiff movement patterns that give me major pause. Funnily enough, you could say similar things about Stanley Umude’s movement patterns, who I thought played decent in this one overall; he just really struggles to finish around defenders at the rim. Umude’s three-ball looked smooth, and if Terence Davis would ever look cross-court (or really look to pass at all) when he penetrates, Stanley would’ve had a bunch more attempts. Seriously, TD can be a frustrating watch sometimes.

Wisconsin Herd vs. Windy City Bulls: LOSS (104-106)​

• Henry Ellenson: 35 points, 12 rebounds, 15/26 FG, 4/6 3PT
• Stephen Thompson: 27 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, 10/15 FG, 5/9 3PT
• James Akinjo: 15 points, 11 assists, 6/18 FG, 2/6 3PT, five turnovers

No Bucks-rostered guys played in this one, and I didn’t watch the full game, so these notes will be short. The most notable part of the game from the highlights was that the Herd were up 14 points in the final frame but managed to choke away the game due to a 19-35 period. In terms of player performances, Ellenson obviously stands out. Any time I watch Stephen Thompson, I come away thinking, “he’s got some stiff to him with his movement shooting; just too small for the NBA, probably.” Terence Davis played just eight minutes, so I assume he got injured.

Wisconsin Herd vs. Raptors 905: WIN (118-104)​

• Stanley Umude: 33 points, four assists, 11/16 FG, 6/9 3PT
• Henry Ellenson: 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists, 8/14 FG, 2/3 3PT, five turnovers
• James Akinjo: 20 points, 12 assists, six rebounds, 7/16 FG, 2/4 3PT, zero turnovers

The Herd finally snapped their six-game losing streak in this one. The headliner is obviously Stanley Umude, who unequivocally had his best game of the season thus far. I mean, Umude showcased the full skillset in this one: contested catch-and-shoot threes, catch and quick rips to the hoop for floaters, and even movement threes after he was feeling it. There were a few off-ball lapses on defence, but Stanley was good on that end for the most part as well. His size is really apparent on the G League court, it just needed to come together on offence. I will say that I had been frustrated with the way Terence Davis was running the team (or not running it) when he was playing; well, he didn’t suit up in this one and… anyway. Contrastingly, James Akinjo was an excellent floor general with 12 assists (!) and no turnovers. It’s not his fault, but I also couldn’t help but notice that without Chris Livingston suiting up for this one, Umude’s role felt much clearer than it had prior.

Wisconsin Herd vs. Raptors 905: WIN (104-102)​

• Henery Ellenson: 30 points, 13 rebounds (five offensive), 10/21 FG, 2/4 3PT, 5/5 FT
• James Akinjo: 19 points, 14 assists, two steals, 9/20 FG, 1/6 3PT, two turnovers
• Justise Winslow: 16 points, 4/11 FG, 4/7 3PT

After playing the day prior, Stanley Umude was in Dallas with the Bucks for this game. Well, Henery Ellenson stepped up in his place with a monster performance to power the Herd to their second straight win in as many nights. I couldn’t watch, but 30 points on nearly 50% shooting is amazing. Even more impressive might be the five free throw attempts (considering the G League free throw rules). James Akinjo with another ridiculous assist/turnover game. And for NBA veteran Justise Winslow, who I believe was injured prior to this one, the three-point shot is what will get him back to the league; good to see him go 4/7.

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The Herd are currently 12th in the Eastern Conference with an 11-13 record.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/3/3/2...stanley-umude-chris-livingston-henry-ellenson

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Report: Bucks convert Ryan Rollins to standard deal, sign Jamaree Bouyea to two-way deal

Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Rollins is signed for the rest of the season (at the very least)

The wait is finally over for those monitoring the Ryan Rollins Contract Situation (RRCS for short). According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Milwaukee Bucks have converted Rollins to a standard NBA deal for the remaining 23 games of the regular season and the playoffs:

FROM SHAMS: The Milwaukee Bucks are converting two-way guard Ryan Rollins to a standard NBA contract for the rest of the season, agents Mike Silverman and Brandon Grier of Equity Basketball told ESPN. Rollins, 22, has averaged 10.4 points and 39% shooting on 3s in 8 starts this season.

— Shams Charania Tweets (& Other NBA News) (@shamsbot.bsky.social) 2025-03-03T21:10:52.714Z

It’s been over a full calendar year since the Bucks signed Rollins to a two-way contract after the Washington Wizards waived him, and it’s safe to say that it’s worked out quite well for both sides. In 39 games this season (including eight starts), the former second-round pick is averaging a career high 4.9 points per game while shooting 45% from the field and 34.8% from beyond the arc. While a solid contributor on the offensive end, Rollins is also a capable defender, recording the third-best defensive rating of anyone on the team at 103.6 (minimum of 12.5 minutes per game).

Rollins will remain a restricted free agent (RFA) this off-season; that means Milwaukee has the ability to match any contract offered to him by another NBA team in free agency. Should the Bucks choose to just hammer out a deal with Rollins directly, they’ll have his Early Bird Rights and the ability to use the taxpayer mid-level exception (TPMLE) to give him a contract for up to two years. If they wanted to extend a deal beyond two years, they would have to use money from the full mid-level exception.

The Bucks quickly filled the newly opened two-way spot left by Rollins by signing guard Jamaree Bouyea, also according to Shams. The deal is for two years for the former Austin Spur:

FROM SHAMS: The Bucks are signing guard Jamaree Bouyea on a two-way NBA deal, sources said. Bouyea has played 14 NBA games in parts of the last two seasons, and averaged 20 points for the Austin Spurs in G League this year.

— Shams Charania Tweets (& Other NBA News) (@shamsbot.bsky.social) 2025-03-03T21:11:10.746Z

Bouyea, a 25-year-old Seaside, California native, played for five seasons at the University of San Francisco (2017–22). While there, Bouyea averaged 17.3 points per game in his final two seasons for the Dons before going undrafted in 2022. Bouyea spent most of that off-season with the Miami Heat before being cut and picked up by the Portland Trail Blazers in November of 2023. He spent just 10 days with the Blazers before being cut yet again and didn’t sign another contract until the San Antonio Spurs signed a two-way deal with him in March of 2024. Across his two seasons in the NBA, he’s appeared in 14 games and scored a total of 36 points in those games (2.6 per game average for those wondering).

With these two moves, the Bucks' main roster is now full with 15 players and they have all three two-way contracts spots filled. This means that they cannot sign any more players until they officially move Bobby Portis to the suspended list.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/3/3/2...lins-full-nba-contract-jamaree-bouyea-two-way