Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks could use some reinforcements after going just 2-5 in their last seven games, and they are reportedly interested in veteran P.J. Tucker.

Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer reported Milwaukee's "interest remains today" when it comes to the Houston Rockets forward the team pursued in November. Houston is also struggling and has lost seven games in a row.

As O'Connor noted, Tucker is someone who could slide right into small-ball lineups the Bucks build around Giannis Antetokounmpo. He likely wouldn't cost an overwhelming amount in a potential trade, either, considering he is set for free agency following the 2020-21 campaign and turns 36 years old in May.

The Texas product is a secondary contributor for Houston and is averaging 4.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 37.5 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from three-point range.

The numbers don't jump out, but Tucker is a playoff-tested veteran with 50 postseason games on his resume.

He is also versatile enough to defend multiple positions, can hit from the outside when defenders collapse on the Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday trio, and is capable of battling for boards even against bigger opponents.

Tucker is also accustomed to taking on a secondary role as someone who has played alongside the likes of James Harden, Chris Paul, Victor Oladipo and John Wall in Houston, so there would be no issues about Giannis getting fewer touches while working a more notable name into the lineup.

Despite recent struggles, the Bucks are still on the short list of championship contenders in the Eastern Conference.

Adding talented role players who can do a number of things on the court like Tucker could help them compete with the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets down the stretch.

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo isn't panicking over his team's five-game losing streak. Instead, he's trying to take it all in stride.     

Following the Bucks' latest loss, a 110-96 defeat to a Toronto Raptors team under .500, Milwaukee (16-13) is still atop a weak Central Division, but the Indiana Pacers are only a game back. That the Bucks have allowed more than 120 points in three of their five losses may prove most concerning of all.

Just not to Giannis.

"I think it's gonna help us as a team to be mentally tougher, Antetokounmpo told reporters Thursday night.

Giannis says the 5-game losing skid is "not frustrating." He sees the growing pains as "part of it."

He says he likes facing adversity and credits this mindset to growth as a person. "I think it's gonna help us as a team to be mentally tougher," he said.

— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) February 19, 2021

After back-to-back losses to the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz, a four-game stretch against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Raptors should've been the remedy. The Thunder, in particular, are struggling at 11-17. 

Instead, the Bucks dropped two in a row to Toronto and are facing another showdown with OKC on Friday—a quick turnaround for a Milwaukee team coming off a rough loss. 

For a team with championship aspirations, the Bucks have done little to show they're up to the task recently. 

The 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks were the last team to lose five or more consecutive games and win a championship in the same season. That Mavs stretch lasted six games and came during a January when the club went 8-8 overall. Milwaukee is 5-5 in February with five games left in the month. 

It's clear this is dangerous territory for the Bucks and certainly not the type of history any contender wants to flirt with.

Head coach Mike Budenholzer lamented the ease with which opponents have been able to drive to the rim. 

"It would be great if we could just keep the ball in front of us better," Budenholzer said. "Guard the ball better, put less pressure on Brook [Lopez] and Giannis."

Friday offers another opportunity to prove the team can do so. If the Bucks can't, larger questions about their ability to succeed may be impossible to avoid. 

Milwaukee Bucks senior vice president Alex Lasry announced Wednesday he will run for the U.S. Senate out of Wisconsin in 2022 as a Democratic candidate.

Lasry declared his candidacy in a video that featured endorsements from Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and Milwaukee Common Council President Cavalier Johnson, both of whom are high-ranking Democrats in the city:

The 33-year-old Lasry, a New York City native, will run for the seat occupied by Republican Ron Johnson.

Per Bill Glauber of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Johnson hasn't yet declared if he will run for a third term in 2022 or if a new Republican candidate will emerge to oppose Lasry or whomever is chosen as the Democratic candidate.

Lasry was critical of Johnson in an interview with the Journal Sentinel: "What we've had for the last 10 years is a senator who hasn't been representing the people of Wisconsin, who has been more interested in peddling in conspiracy theories and appealing to our worst instincts and impulses."

Lasry is the son of Bucks co-governor and billionaire hedge fund manager Marc Lasry.

Per Glauber, Alex Lasry said he will take a leave of absence from his position with the Bucks to focus on his campaign.

A former aide under President Barack Obama, Lasry played a huge role in bringing the 2020 Democratic National Convention to Milwaukee.

While several others are mulling a run for the Senate seat, Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson is the only other Democrat to announce his candidacy for 2022.

The Milwaukee Bucks lost their fourth straight game Tuesday when they dropped a 124-113 home matchup to the Toronto Raptors, but reigning back-to-back NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo isn't panicking.

ESPN's Eric Woodyard relayed Antetokounmpo's thoughts:

Giannis on Bucks dropping 4 straight: "It's not the end of the world."

He's not making excuses, but says the loss of Jrue Holiday is big for the team. However, he won't allow the team to hit "panic mode."

— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) February 17, 2021

The Bucks have been without guard Jrue Holiday for five games and counting because of the league's health and safety protocols. Milwaukee is 15-8 with Holiday in the lineup and 1-4 without him. The 30-year-old has averaged 16.4 points, 5.4 assists, 4.8 rebounds and a league-high 1.9 steals this season.

Despite the four-game losing streak, the 16-12 Bucks haven't lost much ground in the Eastern Conference standings. They're sitting third in the East following the loss to the Raps.

The Bucks are only two games behind the 18-10 Philadelphia 76ers, who have lost three straight, for first place in the East. They're one of only three teams in the conference that are two games or better above .500, so it's not as though the Bucks have a ton of teams hot on their heels.

Seven of the Bucks' final eight games before the All-Star break are at home, where they are 9-3 this year. Six of those contests are against teams with losing records.

The Bucks not only have a chance to finish strong before the All-Star Break, but they also conceivably could be first in the East when the second half of the league schedule begins.

Giannis Antetokounmpo said the Utah Jazz are the "best team in the West" after a 129-115 victory over his Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.

The two-time defending NBA MVP said he was impressed with how easy the Jazz (21-5) made the game look as they had four players score at least 25 points—Rudy Gobert (27), Joe Ingles (27), Donovan Mitchell (26) and Jordan Clarkson (25)—to breeze past the Bucks (16-10).

"It just looks fun. Like when I watch them play, it looks fun, it looks easy," Antetokounmpo told reporters. "It looks simple. For sure, they look like us last year, and man, when you're at that point and you're playing with that confidence, you're hard to beat for sure."

Utah made 52.4 percent of its shots from the field, got to the free-throw line 34 times and won the rebounding battle 46-33 as it cruised past Milwaukee.

The win moved the Jazz, who've won six straight, a half-game ahead of the reigning champion Los Angeles Lakers (21-6) for the best record in the NBA. They're 17-1 since a 4-4 start.

They've done it with terrific play at both ends of the floor. They rank fourth in offensive efficiency and second in defensive efficiency, per ESPN. No other team rates in the top five of both categories.

Utah also leads the league in point differential (+8.9), ahead of the Bucks (+8.6) and Lakers (+8.0), so all of the numbers suggest the early-season success is no fluke.

Jazz head coach Quin Snyder said it's important the team doesn't become complacent after rolling through opponents.

"Nobody is beating their chest about anything that we've done," Snyder said. "Frankly you never want to do that and it's never appropriate unless you're the last team standing. That's something we'll continue to try to avoid."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWw0otx3ypU

The next week will continue to present challenges to the Jazz as they attempt to solidify themselves as one of the top title contenders.

They face the reigning Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat (11-14)—who've started to find their form with four straight wins—on Saturday followed by a clash with the East-leading Philadelphia 76ers (18-8) on Monday and then back-to-back games against the Los Angeles Clippers (19-8) on Wednesday and Friday.

The hype around the Jazz will reach a fever pitch if they win all four of those matchups, but even a 3-1 record would show continued progress for the emerging title hopefuls.

Add Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to the list of high-profile players less than enthused about the NBA and NBPA's decision to hold an All-Star Game amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eric Woodyard of ESPN provided the back-to-back NBA MVP's remarks following the Bucks' 123-105 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday:

Giannis: "At the end of the day, if we have the All-Star game, I hope the fans can be there. And, we can give back to them, but at the end of the day if we have the All-Star game just to have an All-Star Game and don't have no fans, I don't see the point."

— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) February 6, 2021

Los Angeles Lakers guard/forward LeBron James expressed his honest take to reporters on the matter, noting how his defending NBA champion team went through a short offseason after it won the 2020 NBA Finals on October 11 before the 2020-21 campaign started December 22:

"Short offseason for myself and my teammates. It was 71 days. And then coming into this season, we were told that we were not having an All-Star Game, so we'd have a nice little break.

"Five days (in March) from the fifth through the 10th, an opportunity for me to kind of recalibrate for the second half of the season—my teammates as well, some of the guys in the league. And then they throw an All-Star Game on us like this and just breaks that all the way up. So, um, pretty much kind of a slap in the face."

Sacramento Kings point guard De'Aaron Fox gave some remarks to reporters Thursday as well.

"If I'm going to be brutally honest, I think it's stupid," Fox said. "If we have to wear a mask and do all of this for a regular game, then what's the point of bringing the All-Star Game back?"

The NBA and NBPA agreed to have an All-Star Game in Atlanta on Sunday, March 7, per Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic. It's a single-night event that will also include skills competitions, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, who provided more details, context and insight:

"The NBA has a midseason break set for March 5-10. Some teams will resume the season on March 11. The NBA is expected to release a schedule for the second half of the season in the next two to three weeks, sources tell ESPN.

"NBPA president Chris Paul has been an advocate of the Atlanta All-Star Game idea, including a plan to use the game to benefit historically Black colleges and universities and COVID-19 relief, sources said.

"Nevertheless, this is an idea that has been met with resistance and skepticism from players and from team executives. Even with protocol safeguards around the game, many see it as an unnecessary risk for the league, players and support personnel."

The NBA finished the 2019-20 season in a bubble-like environment at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida, but this season has been played without one as teams play coast-to-coast as usual, with some schedule changes to reduce travel.

The league has been able to get through at least 25 percent of its schedule thus far, albeit with some hiccups along the way.

Of note, the Memphis Grizzlies had four straight games postponed due to health and safety protocols. Also, stars such as Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant and Los Angeles Clippers forwards Paul George and Kawhi Leonard have been forced to miss time due to league health and safety protocols as well.

For now, the league is approaching the end of the first half of its schedule, which has an end date of March 4 before the league goes on a six-day hiatus minus the currently-planned March 7 All-Star Game.

By halftime, Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a double-double, so it was only fitting that he secured a triple-double by the end of the third quarter of the Milwaukee Bucks' 130-110 rout of the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.

Third triple-double this season. (21 PTS | 14 REB | 10 AST)#Giannis | #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/gQe46NrFTN

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) February 4, 2021

And there is Giannis Antetokounmpo's triple-double. And he did it with 49.5 seconds left in the third quarter.

21 points. 14 rebounds. 10 assists.
7-of-8 from the field. 7-of-8 from the free throw line.

Ridiculous performance.

— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) February 4, 2021

Antetokounmpo's performance vaulted him into fourth place on the team's all-time assist list, and the 13-8 Bucks claimed second place in the Eastern Conference with the victory, jumping over the 14-9 Brooklyn Nets.

The assist to become 4th on Bucks All-Time assist list. pic.twitter.com/lPYUe8MUVv

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) February 4, 2021

For the 12-10 Pacers, Domantas Sabonis became the second player in team history to tally at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in back-to-back games.

     

Notable Performers

• Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks: 21 PTS (7/8 FG, 7/8 FT), 14 REB, 10 AST
• Domantas Sabonis, Pacers: 33 PTS (14/25 FG, 3/5 3PT, 2/2 FT), 12 REB, 6 AST
• Bobby Portis, Bucks: 18 PTS (7/13 FG, 4/5 3PT), 9 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL
• Justin Holiday, Pacers: 15 PTS (5/8 FG, 3/5 3PT, 2/2 FT), 8 REB, 2 STL

     

High-Flying Pacers Grounded by Bucks

When they needed it most, the Pacers were able to pull off their best performance of the season Tuesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies.

After back-to-back losses, the Pacers set season bests for points scored (134), field-goal percentage (59.8) and three-point percentage (55.2). Sabonis tied a career high with 32 points, while Malcolm Brogdon posted 23 and Myles Turner had 22.

On Wednesday, though, the Pacers couldn't keep up with the Bucks. They trailed by eight after the first quarter and entered the break down by 17. The Pacers fell behind in nearly every category, hitting 40.8 percent of their shots from the field and 33.3 percent from three in the first half.

In contrast, the Bucks hit 12 of their 26 shots from deep in the opening half. Though Indiana gave up the ball six times to Milwaukee's eight, the Bucks were more productive when they took the ball away, scoring 11 points off turnovers.

Sabonis grabbed 18 points to lead all scorers in the first half, and he didn't get the help he needed from his teammates in the second half. He ended the night with 33 points to lead all scorers, while Holiday tacked on 15 as the next-highest-scoring Pacer.

🎯 @Dsabonis11 🎯#NBAAllStar | https://t.co/T6jmxAXvtp pic.twitter.com/nMDLeEwXZC

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) February 4, 2021

Indiana has 70 points against Milwaukee. Domantas Sabonis has 32 of them. Pacers getting smoked by Sabonis having himself a night.

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) February 4, 2021

Sabonis follows up his 32-point last night with a career-high 33 and counting.

He’s the only Pacer who has been able to do much offensively. He has 14 of their 28 FGs.

— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) February 4, 2021

The Pacers were limited to 45.3 shooting from the field overall and hit 11 of 34 three-point attempts.

     

Milwaukee's Defense Bounces Back

The Bucks defense has struggled of late, especially in preventing opponents from hitting shots from deep. The unit ranks 20th in the league with an average of 112.4 points allowed but is third-worst in opponent three-point percentage (39.2).

That struggle was on display in their last two losses. The New Orleans Pelicans attempted a season-high 48 shots from beyond the arc and hit a whopping 21 of them—tying a franchise record they set last month—as they beat the Bucks 131-126 in Milwaukee on Friday. On Saturday, the Charlotte Hornets also hit 21 threes as they rolled to a 126-114 victory.

With the Pacers fresh off a top performance from three, the Bucks would need to fix the issues on defense to be successful Wednesday.

They were up to the task—especially in the areas that hurt them in their last two losses. The Pacers never led, and the Bucks limited them to 40.8 percent shooting in the first half, running out to a 21-10 lead to start the game.

Menace on the defensive end. pic.twitter.com/7sUknvql5w

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) February 4, 2021

In the end, the Bucks grabbed 13 steals and held the Pacers to 32.4 percent shooting from deep.

     

What's Next?

The Bucks are set for a back-to-back on the road with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET) and Saturday (8 p.m. ET).

The Pacers will host the Pelicans on Friday at 7 p.m. ET.

Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry recently received a COVID-19 vaccination, despite being 32 years younger than the current age group that's eligible in the state of Wisconsin.

Speaking to Patrick Marley of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Lasry said he "just got lucky" to receive the vaccine. 

Lasry, 33, tweeted about the process that led to him being able to get vaccinated:

This week I was vaccinated! My wife got a call from her uncle that works in a facility that had extra doses that were going to go to waste if not used right away. With Lauren early in her pregnancy, we wanted to ensure our home, and entire community is safe for everyone. pic.twitter.com/bctLVytyu6

— Alex Lasry (@AlexLasryWI) January 29, 2021

Lasry told Marley neither his position with the Bucks, nor his family's wealth had anything to do with him getting a vaccine.

"That has nothing to do with anything," he said. "Honestly, if I wasn't married to Lauren, I don't know that I would have gotten a call or known about it."

Per the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the vaccine is currently being distributed in a "phased approach" with people in higher-risk groups at the front of the line. 

People currently eligible for vaccination in the state are frontline healthcare workers, residents in skilled nursing and long-term care facilities, police officers, firefighters and correctional staff and all adults age 65 or older. However, in some areas, distribution sites with expiring vaccines have been authorized to distribute them regardless of whether the recipients are in the eligible groups.

The son of Bucks governor Marc Lasry, Alex is currently the team's senior vice president and has worked in the front office since 2014.  

 

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo took time out of his busy practice schedule to offer some advice to Conor McGregor in advance of his lightweight bout against Dustin Poirier in UFC 257 on Saturday:

Hey @TheNotoriousMMA,@Giannis_An34 has some new moves for you tonight!

😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/mGf5oqvxW0

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 24, 2021

We'll soon find out if McGregor utilizes the sneak attack bear hug in the Octagon, with his fight against Poirier set to be UFC 257's main event.

For now, Bucks assistant coach Vin Baker may want to watch his back at practice after Antetokounmpo used him as a model for his MMA suggestions.

On the court, the reigning two-time NBA MVP is enjoying another excellent season, averaging 27.0 points, 10.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the 9-6 Bucks.

In the Octagon, McGregor is 22-4 lifetime, with his last win occurring via a first-round TKO of Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone in 40 seconds last January.

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer confirmed superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss Saturday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

The Bucks listed back spasms as the source of Antetokounmpo's absence.

"He's very sore, very stiff," Budenholzer told reporters. "We are hopeful it's a short-term thing."

Antetokounmpo is assembling a strong foundation for a Hall of Fame resume. He's won two straight MVP Awards in addition to the 2020 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award and earned four consecutive All-Star selections, along with numerous other individual accolades.

The 26-year-old Greece native has mostly been durable during his rise to stardom. He's never missed more than 10 games in a regular season since the Bucks selected him 15th overall in 2013, with any missed time caused by minor ailments.

That said, his most recent setback was an ankle injury suffered during the 2020 playoffs that played a role in Milwaukee's elimination at the hands of the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The Bucks are likely to use a committee to fill the void any time the Greek Freak misses time throughout the 2020-21 campaign.

Milwaukee doesn't feature enough star power outside Antetokounmpo to become a serious title contender without him. Making sure he's healthy for the postseason is the most important factor, even if that means a lesser workload in the regular season and fewer wins.