The Milwaukee Bucks kicked off the 2020-21 preseason with a 112-102 defeat as they hosted the Dallas Mavericks Saturday night.
After a quick turnaround from the conclusion of last season, the Milwaukee Bucks took the court Saturday night in their first preseason matchup against the Dallas Mavericks.
It was a game full of highs and lows for the Bucks, but they ended the night with a 112-102 loss to Dallas. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton led the way for Milwaukee with 24 minutes each. In their limited minutes, Antetokounmpo finished the game with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Middleton chipped in 18 points, two rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
More from Bucks News
- Bucks 2023-24 player profile: Can MarJon Beauchamp take a leap?
- Piecing together the Milwaukee Bucks’ dream starting 5 in 5 years
- Predicting Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s 2023-24 stats for the Bucks
- Grade the trade: Bucks land reputable backup guard in swap with Pacers
- New workout video should have Milwaukee Bucks fans excited
The Bucks will host the Mavericks at Fiserv Forum for round two of the preseason, but first, let us look at some takeaways from Milwaukee’s 112-102 loss to Dallas Saturday night.
No. 3- Bucks were horrendous from 3-point range
It was a rough night shooting from behind the arc for the Bucks, to say the least.
The team combined to shoot 9-for-38 from 3-point range, making for a vile 23.7 percent in a night that they were simply off from distance. Meanwhile, the Mavericks torched the Bucks from three, having shot 17-for-43, an impressive 39.5 percent.
Milwaukee made some considerable moves to shore up their shooting this offseason, but it was not on display against Dallas. In fact, the only member of the Bucks to connect on multiple shots from long range on the night was D.J. Wilson, who went a respective 2-for-4.
Hopefully, the Bucks can knock this game out of their systems and reload ahead of Monday’s rematch. Shooting from 3-point territory remains the Achilles’ heel for this Milwaukee team, and it showed in Saturday’s defeat.
No. 2 – Jrue Holiday struggled in his Bucks debut
All eyes were on Jrue Holiday in the preseason opener after being traded to the Bucks this offseason, and he did not exactly get off to a hot start.
Having taken over starting point guard duties, Holiday finished the game with four points, where he shot 2-for-7 from the field, including an 0-for-3 showing from distance. Along with those four points, the guard totaled five rebounds, four assists, one steal, and two turnovers in his 21 minutes.
To Holiday’s credit, although the offense was shaky, he did a solid job defensively when matched up against Luka Doncic, who finished the game with 13 points on 5-for-13 shooting in just 16 minutes. The two-time All-Defensive honoree showed his ability to take on top-tier assignments, and that was surely a bright spot in his rough night.
It was not the start that many envisioned for Holiday in his Bucks debut, but hopefully, he can bounce back with another opportunity against Dallas on Monday night. When he is playing at the highest level, Holiday is arguably the best two-way guard in the association, and the Bucks will need him to be just that in their quest for a title this season.
No. 1 – Bobby Portis made a strong first impression with the Bucks
Bobby Portis had not played in an organized NBA game since the hiatus ended his season in March earlier this year. Portis was certainly eager to get back on the court with over nine months off, and it showed against the Mavericks.
The big man got off to a slow start but quickly got into a groove, hustling for loose balls, hitting tough shots, and throwing down some vicious slam dunks. In the end, Portis finished with 14 points on 7-for-15 shooting and 13 rebounds in 21 minutes.
Portis foreshadowed his relentlessness earlier this week as he spoke to the media, telling them that coming off the bench was something he took pride in.
"“I’m a guy that has always come off the bench my whole career. I might start here and there when guys are hurt or things happen, but for the most part of my career, I’ve come off the bench. I take pride in that. Coming in, try to change the game, bringing energy and effort, bringing scoring off the bench as well, and just doing all of the things that’s necessary to help a basketball team.”"
He indeed showcased those resilient qualities in Milwaukee’s first preseason game and his first basketball action following such a long layoff. Although the night ended in a loss, Portis gave Bucks fans something to cheer for, and he undoubtedly made a strong first impression in his Bucks debut.
Bobby Portis might have earned himself fan-favorite status for his Saturday night outing, but time will tell if the big man can sustain these tenacious efforts throughout the season.