Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways from 122-121 loss to Golden State Warriors
By Dalton Sell
Milwaukee Bucks get a welcoming boost from the bench in loss to Warriors
With leading bench scorer Bobby Portis sliding into the starting power forward slot in place of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks’ second unit needed others to fill in. Replacing the big man’s scoring output would be a tough task, but the reserves chipped in a solid 36-point effort, with some intriguing individual performances surfacing along the way.
The first that stands out has to be Jeff Teague, who was appearing in just his third game for the Bucks after signing last week. Teague checked in and provided an immediate boost on the offensive end, finishing with 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 2-of-2 from deep. Also notching three assists, the guard continues to show his validity as another capable ball-handler off the bench.
Although it came in a losing effort, Teague’s big night was one of the biggest positive takeaways from last night’s contest. The newcomer looked more comfortable than ever, and perhaps reuniting with former head coach Mike Budneholzer has helped in that regard. Whatever the case, hopefully, this is a sign of things to come for the team’s new backup point guard.
Another contributor was Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who has steadily seen his role increase as the season has progressed. In just under 19-and-a-half minutes of action, Antetokounmpo finished with 10 points on a perfect 4-of-4 from the floor, throwing down several vicious jams in the process. Also hauling in five rebounds, the 28-year-old once again continued to show his value coming off Milwaukee’s bench.
Bryn Forbes also contributed his typical dose of instant offense for the Bucks, pouring in eight points on 3-of-5 shooting, which included 2-of-2 from deep.
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Last night’s loss was a heartbreaking one, but the Bucks must now shift their focus to Thursday’s matchup with the Dallas Mavericks. It will be the final game of their current six-game road trip, and you can catch the action on Bally Sports Wisconsin at 8 p.m. CST.