Milwaukee Bucks: 3 things to watch for against rival Philadelphia 76ers

Can the Milwaukee Bucks avoid another letdown in the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers?

This is an extremely recent trend and by trend, I mean it’s been the last two games but it’s enough to have made me notice it. In the past two games, the Bucks were outscored 65-39 by the Knicks and Washington Wizards. It was essentially the difference in both games, especially so against the Wizards where the Bucks nearly came back.

Those games influence the sample a little bit, but the third quarter is by far the Bucks’ worst. They have a minus-11.4 net rating in the third quarter this season, their next worst is plus-0.1 in the first.

The Bucks have made a couple of furious comeback attempts in the fourth quarters of games lately. That’s not an easy position to put yourself in, regardless of health, but even more so when you’re missing three starters from last season.

The comeback attempts themselves are good (though some of it can be attributed to the “rubber band effect”) as it suggests they’re showing some encouraging signs that they’re getting back on track. But you don’t want to continuously have to dig yourself out of a hole.

Especially in a game where their opponent will be without its two leading scorers, the Bucks can’t afford to build a lead only to watch it fall apart in the second half (hello, Knicks game). Containing, or keeping a handle on, Seth Curry will be a big part of that. He has been on an absolute tear so far this season and can close a gap quickly on his own with a hot-shooting quarter.