Milwaukee Bucks: 3 reasons not to be worried about the slow start
It’s been a rocky start to the 2021-22 season for the Milwaukee Bucks.
After winning their first title in 50 years just a few months ago, they have started this season losing four of their first seven games. They are currently on a three-game losing streak, with all of those losses coming at home. Many expected the Bucks to be an elite team right out of the gate and dominate all season, but that clearly has not been the case so far. However, here are three reasons not to be worried about the slow start and to believe that they are going to be fine.
Reason No. 1 – The current health of the Milwaukee Bucks
This is the most obvious reason to not freak out about the early struggles. The Bucks have been without many key players early on, and this is simply not the same team right now that will be competing for another championship later on.
Jrue Holiday has missed five of the first seven games and has yet to play a full game healthy. Brook Lopez has not played since the opener against the Nets. Bobby Portis has missed five games. Donte DiVincenzo is still out due to the injury he suffered in the playoffs last season. Semi Ojeleye has missed five games. Khris Middleton was out for the last loss against the Jazz.
The Bucks have yet to even be close to full strength for a game this season. With Jrue Holiday out, the Bucks have been left with just George Hill and Justin Robinson at point guard. Due to the Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis injuries, the only big men that they’ve had for most games are Giannis Antetokounmpo and Sandro Mamukelashvili.
The Bucks’ point guard and center depth was pretty thin to begin with, and these injuries have only made things worse. Not having Jrue Holiday as a ball-handler has allowed teams to put even more pressure and attention on Giannis and Middleton, and the absence of Holiday and Lopez shows up on the other end of the court as well, since they are both key pieces of the defense.
Forcing guys like George Hill and Pat Connaughton to become starters and then not having some of those bench options to replace them has killed the Bucks’ depth in certain games. There have been times where the Bucks’ only bench options are Jordan Nwora, Justin Robinson, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, and Georgios Kalaitzakis, and only one of those players (Nwora) will have a real role in the playoffs.
As the Milwaukee Bucks get their players back and become closer to full strength, things should start to click and they’ll get back to looking more like the NBA Champions.