In their first two games of the season, the Milwaukee Bucks posted similar point totals, with stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard delivering strong performances. However, the results varied: they secured a win against the Philadelphia 76ers on the road but fell to the Chicago Bulls at home. As they prepare to face the winless Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, the Bucks aim to rebound from their first defeat.
Under new coach Doc Rivers, the Bucks saw Antetokounmpo and Lillard combine for 55 points in their 124-109 victory over Philadelphia. They had six players scoring in double figures, shot 53.8%, made 16 three-pointers, and held the 76ers to 41.8% shooting.
On Friday, Antetokounmpo and Lillard scored 66 points combined, but the Bucks struggled in the second half, losing 133-122 to the Bulls. Despite a 49.5% shooting performance, both players faced challenges: Antetokounmpo was 8-for-16 at the free-throw line, and Lillard went 3-for-12 from three-point range.
The Nets, under new coach Jordi Fernandez, aim to avoid an 0-3 start, their worst since the 2015-16 season. Brooklyn has been plagued by turnovers and fouls in their losses to Atlanta and Orlando, committing 19 turnovers and 32 fouls in the 120-116 loss to the Hawks, and 19 turnovers and 31 fouls in the 116-101 loss to the Magic.
Cam Thomas led the Nets with 24 points against Orlando after scoring 36 in the opener. Dennis Schroder added 20 points, but Ben Simmons struggled with five fouls and 10 turnovers over two games.
Milwaukee has dominated their recent matchups with Brooklyn, winning the last five games and holding a 9-2 record in their last 11 regular-season meetings since their overtime victory in Game 7 of the 2021 playoffs’ second round. The Bucks will look to continue this trend and bounce back from their recent loss.
