Bucks Gaming eliminated by Pistons GT in The Ticket quarter finals

After a big win saw them advance in round one, the Milwaukee Bucks Gaming team just fell short in the quarter finals of The Ticket tournament on Saturday.

Following a colossal upset win over the fourth-seeded 76ers GC on Thursday night, the Milwaukee Bucks Gaming team matched up with the fifth-seeded Detroit Pistons in the quarter finals of the NBA 2K League’s The Ticket tournament on Saturday.

While the Pistons have enjoyed a much more successful season in the league’s inaugural year, this marked the third meeting between these two teams, with the Bucks narrowly coming out on the losing side in both the Tip-Off Tournament and their regular season clash.

Thursday’s win and the positives that came from Bucks Gaming’s most recent lineup changes certainly provided plenty of reason to believe the result could be different this time around.

At the very least, for a team that’s dealt with constant shuffling in the lineup in the hope of finding a spark, the Bucks opted for the exact same starting five and archetypes for this matchup, meaning Peroxide was once again rooted to the sidelines.

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That continuity didn’t necessarily equate to a through line in terms of production though, as some of Milwaukee’s strengths from their game against Philadelphia didn’t translate on this occasion.

Firstly, the Bucks coughed possession up frequently, with oLarry in particular experiencing some of the teething problems that likely could have been expected from his move from center to point guard.

After a tidy and efficient playmaking effort against the 76ers, Larry’s seven points and six assists were counteracted with seven turnovers on this occasion. Game6Drake added five turnovers of his own to make for a total of 12 for the team.

With a spread of archetypes that doesn’t automatically maximize spacing, Procis1on’s sharp-shooting was key on Thursday, but unfortunately wasn’t all that evident on Saturday. Procis1on attempted just five shots in total, only two from behind the arc, and ultimately had to settle for just two points on the night.

On the positive side of the ledger, STL2LA continued to rebound well inside, and free from the shackles of playmaking and jump-shooting, the Bucks again got the most out of their first round pick, Drake.

Contributing 30 points, six rebounds and four assists on 15-of-25 from the field, Drake asserted himself offensively and the Pistons had no real answers to slow him down.

As a team, the Bucks again produced a positive defensive performance, which allowed them to stay within touching distance of a potential semi-final spot right up until the final 30 seconds or so of action.

In a game that was tied at the end of each of the first two quarters, and where the Pistons led by just a single-point heading into the fourth, the Bucks had every chance to come away with a win and will certainly be disappointed at a missed opportunity.

Still, a gameweek that included highly competitive performances against two of the league’s best teams is evidence of major progress. If the season to date is anything to go by, major changes could again lie in wait for Milwaukee’s lineup and strategy, but they would be unnecessary moves.

Peroxide has been one of the team’s most productive players over the course of the season, making it tough to leave him out, but this current approach deserves another look based on this weekend’s results.

Next: Bucks Gaming secure upset win over 76ers GC to open The Ticket tournament

Next up for Bucks Gaming is a double-header on Saturday, July 21, with Raptors Uprising GC and Wizards District Gaming both on the slate.