Game 1: Milwaukee Bucks 97 New York Knicks 122 Grades & Reactions

Reactions: The Bad

• For the team who were the league’s second best defensive side last season, they won’t exactly wear a season opening performance in which they allowed the Knicks 122 points as a badge of honor. Milwaukee need to offer greater resistance inside and close out better on the perimeter. Greater coherence will come with the return of familiar faces, and more time together, but this was not a promising start.

• John Henson’s limited involvement was a shock. This was the guy who was arguably the MVP of Milwaukee’s regular season campaign, a player who the team just paid $44 million to, and Kidd can’t find more than 10 minutes for him? As Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick Williams troubled the Bucks defense with their combined athleticism and size, the game cried out for Henson’s elite rim protection to come in and force New York away from the basket.

• The Bucks were sloppy, and that’s something that will likely be attributed to rust. That’s not really good enough though, and the team simply must get better at controlling the play. The turnovers were decisive as Milwaukee had 18 to New York’s 11. Much of the blame for that will fall at the feet of the point guards, which is fair, but the reality is that it’s a group problem which needs to be rectified.

Next: Milwaukee Bucks Grades: Starters