Any fans who don't want their day ruined should avoid looking at the Milwaukee Bucks' record against the best teams in the NBA this season.
They've been putrid against the top teams fighting for a title this season, and one particular team that has had their number this season is Cleveland. The Cavaliers were a perfect 3-0 against Milwaukee as they geared up to face off Sunday night. The Bucks had a chance to avoid the regular season sweep, but they couldn't get it done.
While Milwaukee and Cleveland went blow for blow early, the Cavaliers eventually gained control of this one and never looked back. Whenever the Bucks started to gain any sense of momentum, the Cavaliers answered with a counter, showing why they are among the best of the best this season. Milwaukee moved to 0-4 against their Central Division foe with a 112-100 final score.
Coach Doc Rivers didn't hold back after the game.
Rivers' comments should be a wake-up call for Bucks, himself included
Asked about losing all four games to Cleveland this season, Rivers said, "Just watching their trust over ours offensively. It will jump off the screen when our guys watch it."
This was obvious to anyone watching the game. The Cavaliers moved the ball with a purpose as they consistently found the open shooter, knocking in 19 3-pointers on the night. There was not a single sense of selfishness on the floor, as everyone on Cleveland's side clearly had faith in the next man, and with 25 assists as a team, the results were there.
Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks looked discombobulated. Milwaukee settled for a handful of odd shot attempts, oftentimes contested jumpers, rather than duplicating Cleveland's unselfish nature. The end result was a final tally of 100 points, a 29 percent success rate from three and 17 assists. Numbers like that simply won't cut it, especially against a formidable foe like the Cavaliers.
Doc Rivers can't go on the court and pass the ball, but he's undoubtedly not blameless in any of this. It's his job to make sure the offense is clicking, and it just hasn't been lately. Things often look flat-out stale for Milwaukee, with players draining the clock and jacking up a poor shot or passing the ball to Damian Lillard or Giannis Antetokounmpo hoping for a bail out possession.
It's not the type of offense that leads to success. Rivers and the Milwaukee Bucks will have plenty to talk about during the team's next film session. Their season certainly isn't lost, as they have shown a good amount of promise lately, but if they want to make plays when it counts, they have to find a way to play more efficiently on the offensive end.
After a strong return to form after the All-Star break, the Milwaukee Bucks have dropped their last two games in disappointing fashion. There's still time to right the ship, but with the regular season winding down, every game is vital. As much as his lack of defense and mobility hurt the team, the Bucks are certainly missing Bobby Portis' scoring punch right now.
Yet, the suspended Portis isn't coming back soon, so the Milwaukee Bucks must develop a plan to stay afloat on offense regardless.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.