One month has officially passed in the NBA’s 2020-21 season, and the Milwaukee Bucks have been featured in headlines far and wide.
Looking at the positive side of things first, the Bucks are 9-6 and are currently tied for second place in the jam-packed Eastern Conference standings. With a reshaped roster, the first month of the season was expected to showcase some growing pains, and they have indeed been on display early as this new unit continues conjuring chemistry.
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Thankfully, there is a long season ahead, and the Bucks will have time to continue piecing together the puzzle as the year progresses.
Chemistry is just one of the issues that the Milwaukee Bucks have faced throughout their first 15 games, and here are three others that have plagued them in the early going.
3 challenges that have plagued Milwaukee Bucks so far – Bench inconsistencies
The Bucks spent plenty of resources this offseason to retool their bench with several household names across the league. Bringing in Bobby Portis, D.J. Augustin, and Bryn Forbes, among several others, they appeared to be one of the more formidable second units in the association on paper.
However, 15 games into the season, they have been as inconsistent as possible.
In Milwaukee’s nine victories this season, the bench has been fantastic on the offensive end, contributing an impressive 43.3 points per game. The reserves have been a driving force in these wins, showcasing the scoring punch they are capable of providing when called upon. However, it has been an entirely different story in the team’s six losses, where they have averaged just 22.5 points per game.
That 21-plus point differential has undoubtedly impacted the Bucks negatively, and it poses a glaring concern moving forward. If the bench continues struggling as they have to this degree, particularly in top-tier matchups as they have early this season, the Bucks could be in trouble down the line.