After starting the season strong with a win over the Philadelphia 76ers, the Milwaukee Bucks failed to keep their momentum going in their home opener.
Welcoming the Chicago Bulls to Fiserv Forum, the Bucks were shot out of their own building, as their opponent went a blistering 21-of-47 (44.7 percent) from 3-point range. The Bulls simply couldn't miss from deep, and the Bucks suffered as a result, with the Bulls coming out on top 133-122.
Although the 3-point shooting may have been the primary reason for the Bucks' demise in this one, they certainly dug themselves into a deeper hole with the turnovers.
Turnovers doom Milwaukee Bucks in loss to Chicago Bulls
As a whole, the Milwaukee Bucks logged 14 turnovers in their loss, with each feeling more frustrating than the last. While the Bulls' defense surely deserves some credit, a good chunk of these turnovers came from self-inflicted issues. Careless passes were a regularity for Milwaukee in this one, and the Bulls made them pay again and again with baskets, often 3-pointers, on the other end.
Damian Lillard led the way with five giveaways, with his passing being far from pristine in this one as the Bulls irritated him. Giannis Antetokounmpo had three of his own, including one that came via an eight-second violation in the fourth quarter, which simply cannot happen. Pat Connaughton and Brook Lopez each had two apiece, while several other Milwaukee Bucks had one.
After the game, Doc Rivers told reporters, "I thought we played a game where we lacked discipline. That was a disappointing game from us tonight," and he's absolutely right. Winning a game where they collect 14 turnovers will always be an uphill battle for the Milwaukee Bucks. This should be an early-season wake-up call for them after they were perhaps riding high after the season opener.
Taking better care of the basketball will more than likely be an early talking point during Milwaukee's next practice and certainly in a film session. No one expected the Milwaukee Bucks to come out hot throughout every single game, and this contest showed they are still working out some early-season kinks with this group. They now have a key area to focus on in practice.
The Bucks will be back on the floor to take on the Brooklyn Nets for their next game, and let's hope they take much better care of the basketball throughout that matchup.
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