Following a lengthy six-game road trip, the Milwaukee Bucks returned home Friday to square off against the Charlotte Hornets at Fiserv Forum.
However, they were without several key pieces for this matchup, including every member of their typical starting five, along with P.J. Tucker. That forced head coach Mike Budenholzer to get creative with his rotations, and it was certainly interesting to see it all unfold.
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Still, despite a handful of stellar performances from several individuals, the shorthanded Bucks were unable to overcome their issues and fell to the Hornets 127-119. Milwaukee has now lost three consecutive games and now sit at 32-20 on the season.
With the regular season slowly winding down, health is undoubtedly a prominent storyline revolving around the Bucks right now. Last night’s contest only amplifies that further with the Bucks still in the hunt for that top overall seed in the Eastern Conference.
With the team hitting the road once again for a three-game swing, hopefully we’ll get some clarity on just how healthy they currently are between now and then. In the meantime, here are three takeaways from Milwaukee’s loss to Charlotte last night.
Jeff Teague impresses in his first start with the Milwaukee Bucks in loss to Hornets
The Bucks recently signed veteran Jeff Teague to fill their backup point guard opening, and the fit has been seamless.
In his first four games with the team, Teague had been largely impressive in that backup role, despite still learning the ropes regarding his new teammates. With starting point guard Jrue Holiday among the many sidelined in Friday night’s game due to injury, Budenholzer gave Teague the nod in the starting lineup.
The 32-year-old made good with the opportunity by scoring 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field. Teague was aggressively looking to score the basketball all night, catching the attention of many. While he is not known for his scoring ability, Teague has shown signs early in his stint with the Bucks that he can help put extra points on the scoreboard.
In addition to his top-tier scoring performance, the guard also dished out six assists in the matchup. Teague’s playmaking prowess was among the many reasons fans were excited to bring the veteran aboard, and he flashed signs of what he is capable of doing for Milwaukee’s second unit in Friday’s game.
Although Teague’s best game with the Bucks to date came in a loss, it is still a welcoming sign to see the guard continue adjusting quickly to his new team.
The rookies flash potential for the Milwaukee Bucks in loss to Hornets
Milwaukee’s rookie trio has been mostly buried at the bottom of the rotation this season, but the injury hits to the roster allowed them to see some action Friday night.
Among the three, Jordan Nwora unquestionably had the biggest impact by tallying a team-high 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 4-of-10 from behind the arc. Nwora’s sweet shooting and scoring touch were both on full display last night, and the rookie impressed. Fans have been clamoring for the Lousiville product to get more time in the primary rotation, and his latest performance reinforces that belief.
Along with Nwora, undrafted rookie Mamadi Diakite also had himself a career night as he scored 10 points on 2-of-5 shooting. Although the big man scored a large portion of his points at the free throw line by shooting a perfect 6-for-6, it was the first time he finished in double figures during his young career. Also hauling in five rebounds, an assist, and two steals, it was an all-around solid performance from the 24-year-old.
Lastly, sharpshooting rookie Sam Merrill also had himself a nice outing, although he was hindered by a tough shooting night. The rookie finished with 13 points on a lackluster 5-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-8 from distance. Still, confidence will be the key to unlocking that lethal shooting ability of his, and he continued to let it fly all night long trying to find a groove.
While none of the three rookies were perfect, the opportunity is something that everyone has been looking for. Each can bring something different to the table, and it was good to see them get some action rather than stay spectating on the end of the bench. Whether or not their performances last night help them net any future minutes remains to be seen, but they deserve a shot.
Bryn Forbes bounces back for the Milwaukee Bucks in loss to Hornets
Having a career year shooting from behind the arc, Bryn Forbes does not have many off nights as bad as he did Thursday night. The guard shot 0-for-4 from distance in Milwaukee’s double-digit loss to Dallas, finishing with just three points courtesy of the free throw line.
With that abysmal performance in the rearview, the sharpshooter immediately looked to establish his aggressiveness when he got the nod in the starting lineup Friday. Shooting 7-of-14 from the floor, including 4-of-8 from 3-point territory, the guard was not shy about letting it fly on the offensive end.
Finishing with 18 points, three rebounds, and two assists in his 26 minutes of action, it is safe to say that Forbes had himself a solid bounce-back performance. Hopefully, the guard can build something off of this performance as he transitions back into that bench role. Although he has been relatively solid this season, Forbes has had his share of inconsistent showings from time to time, and games like these show what he can bring to the table.
Although health has played a large factor in it, the Bucks have now lost three straight games and will now hit the road once again. Likely to have several key pieces back in the fold, we will see if they can get back in the win column against the Orlando Magic on Sunday. You can catch that at 6:00 p.m. CST on Bally Sports Wisconsin.