Milwaukee Bucks: The biggest reason not to panic about slow 7-8 start

The Milwaukee Bucks find themselves in uncharted waters with a 7-8 record throughout the first 15 games of the 2021-22 NBA season.

It has been a hot and cold start for the defending champions, and the fanbase has reacted with differing levels of concern. Some have jumped to the conclusion that there is trouble brewing in Milwaukee and these issues are real, while others are willing to be patient as the team looks to put together the pieces throughout the regular seasons. For one reason alone, that being health, this fanbase should immediately pump the breaks regarding panic right now.

The Milwaukee Bucks are far from being a finished product throughout the first 15 games of the 2021-22 season

At this point in the season, the Bucks have played zero games with their roster entirely intact. The champs are still waiting on the return of Donte DiVincenzo, who was a starter for them during the 2020-21 season before suffering a season-ending injury in the postseason. While he will likely be a bench piece upon returning, he will be a massive addition to this rotation whenever he is cleared to get back out on the floor, which could be on the horizon.

Even when disregarding DiVincenzo’s absence, the Bucks have played a mere one game with their starting five together this season. That was the season-opener where they dominated the visiting Brooklyn Nets en route to a feel-good victory. Since then, starting center Brook Lopez has missed 14 consecutive games with back soreness, and the Bucks miss his presence dearly. Lopez is not an easily replaceable player by any means, which was particularly evident as big man Bobby Portis was also sidelined early in the season.

Milwaukee’s leading trio has also missed time this season at different points. Jrue Holiday missed six games early on with a foot issue and an illness, Giannis Antetokounmpo missed one game over the team’s recent five-game road trip, and Khris Middleton returned to the lineup in the Bucks’ win over the Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday night after missing eight consecutive games. That win vs. the Lakers marked just the third time this season that the Bucks had all three parts of the trio able to take the floor together. Unsurprisingly, the Bucks are a perfect 3-0 in those games so far when Antetokounmpo, Middleton, and Holiday all share the floor.

To be clear, injuries are not an excuse, as every team is banged up to some degree. The Bucks have dropped a few winnable games this season in spite of these injuries, and that should be noted. The recent back-to-back losses against the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks come to mind. Still, to panic about the defending champions 15 games into the year after a condensed offseason and a slew of injuries is an overreaction. This team undeniably still has work to do, but as evidenced by last season, they are built for the postseason.

It all starts with getting everyone healthy, and the Bucks will certainly be cautious with their roster as they play the long game with more championships in mind.