The rumors surrounding the Milwaukee Bucks right now are unavoidable, but that's because they are losing games. At 10-15, the Bucks are off to one of their worst starts in recent memory, and things look grim. If they want to shut down these rumors and make the focus basketball once again, it all starts with winning games. Easier said than done.
Bucks desperately need to go on a winning streak
The only reason Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the Milwaukee Bucks is in question is because of the losing. He's made it clear that as long as this team feels like they have a shot to win, he would have no problem finishing his career in Milwaukee. With rumors of tension spilling over into the locker room, the Bucks know they have to start winning or changes will be on the horizon.
If there were ever a time for the Milwaukee Bucks to have a statement game, it would be on Thursday. After a handful of days off, the Bucks will welcome the Celtics, currently sitting at third in the Eastern Conference, to Fiserv Forum. If the well-rested Bucks can show signs of fight and get a win against a top team in the conference, that could be useful in boosting team morale.
With Giannis set to be sidelined for around a month, things won't magically get better. Even when he is on the floor, this team has issues. They can't play a month without him and anticipate things will be fine when he returns. This team could be dead in the water by then if they keep playing like they have. A switch needs to be flipped, and Thursday marks a great starting point for it.
On the flipside, if the losses continue flooding in, things will only get worse. Giannis, if he is truly on the fence about his future, won't want to come back to a team that has been struggling without him for the last month. Yes, the roster is built around Giannis and will be its best when he's there, but the team being 1-7 without him this season is not good enough.
Everyone needs to step up. Doc Rivers is coaching for his job, while all of the players are playing for their future with the franchise. Next man up. It's time to see what this roster and coaching staff are made of.
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