3 takeaways from Milwaukee Bucks’ vile Game 2 loss vs. Chicago Bulls
By Dalton Sell
Jrue Holiday’s struggles carried over into Game 2 for the Milwaukee Bucks, and they will now need him more than ever moving forward
After a struggle-filled Game 1, Jrue Holiday had a chance to wipe the slate clean and make a much better impression in Game 2. Unfortunately, he did quite the opposite as the guard had himself an off-night, to say the least, which played a major factor in the Bucks’ dropping this game.
Just like Game 1, Holiday’s turnovers were a prominent problem throughout this second meeting, as he tallied six of them this time around. It was frustrating to watch as the veteran was careless with the basketball all night, having thrown a handful of reckless passes, one of which came late during the fourth quarter with the Bucks making a run and shifted the momentum of the contest entirely. As simple as it sounds, Holiday needs to make smarter decisions when he has the ball in his hands, or these self-inflicted errors will plague the Bucks as they did in Game 2.
In addition to his ball-control, Holiday must also be better with his scoring. The guard scored just 15 points on 5-of-16 shooting in Game 2, having struggled throughout. One of those misses was a costly one, as he missed a point-blank layup in the closing moments of the fourth that truly felt like the final nail in the coffin for Milwaukee’s chances of winning this particular meeting. This is a player whose scoring and efficiency were both off the charts during the regular season, but that prowess has been nowhere to be found during these first two games.
Obviously, the Bucks need Holiday to correct these issues moving forward. However, that need is only amplified by the unfortunate news surrounding Khris Middleton. As reported by head coach Mike Budenholzer, Middleton is believed to have suffered an MCL sprain in Game 2, but he will undergo further evaluation soon to determine the severity and his status. With Middleton likely set to miss some time, the Bucks will rely heavily on Holiday to step up in his absence. He must erase these past two games from his memory and bounce back, starting with Game 3 tomorrow.
For now, get well soon, Khris.