The Bucks’ third preseason outing brought another reminder that the cleanup work is nowhere near finished.
Milwaukee opened fast against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night, riding its starting group to a strong start. But that momentum faded quickly, and Charlotte pulled away in the second quarter on the way to a 105-90 win.
Head coach Taylor Jenkins is still sorting through rotations and evaluating the roster piece by piece, but the same trouble spots keep showing up. Rebounding, bench production and transition defense all jumped off the page again.
The glass remains a problem, and it showed again against Charlotte. Milwaukee gave up 18 offensive rebounds and 24 second-chance points, a continuation of an issue that has lingered since last season.
The Bucks were already near the bottom of the league in several rebounding categories last year, ranking No. 28 in total rebounds per game, No. 19 in defensive rebounds and No. 30 in offensive rebounds. They also lost their two leading rebounders this offseason, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis, which has left a new group trying to find answers.
There were some signs of improvement in the second half, but the overall concern is still there. If Milwaukee wants to be competitive this season, it has to do a much better job of ending possessions.
The bench also failed to give the Bucks much of a lift. Even with Brayden Burries, Ousmane Dieng and Kasparas Jakucionis not in uniform, the group that did play struggled to make an impact. Milwaukee’s reserves finished with 34 points, while Charlotte’s bench produced 49.
Kel'el Ware led the Bucks’ second unit with 10 points, but no other reserve got past six. The overall numbers were rough: Milwaukee’s bench shot 12-for-40 from the field and 3-for-19 from 3-point range. For a team that has talked about its depth, this was not one of those nights where it showed up.
The most concerning trend, though, has been the way Milwaukee is getting burned in transition. The Bucks have been outscored on fast-break points in all three preseason games. They were beaten 26-9 by the Minnesota Timberwolves, 18-11 by the Thunder and 20-15 by Charlotte.
Those points have come in all kinds of ways - off misses, turnovers and even made baskets. Last season, Milwaukee ranked No. 19 in opponent fast-break points at 15.5 per game.
Through three preseason games, that number has jumped to 21.3, which leaves the Bucks tied for No. 26.
Three games in, that’s a pattern, not a blip. Jenkins and his team have work to do.
In Other News...
Bucks Still Have One Huge Scoring Question To Settle
Through the first three preseason games, the Bucks have already shown one thing clearly: the scoring load has not settled on a single face yet. Each game has produced a different top scorer, which keeps the question hanging over the roster as Milwaukee continues sorting out who is most likely to carry the offense when the games start counting.
Tyler Herro and Ryan Rollins are the names to watch in that race, and Herro appears to have the early edge because of his proven scoring ability and All-Star experience. With two preseason games still to go, there is still time for someone else to make a case, but the Bucks are entering the final stretch of exhibition play without a clean answer to one of their biggest offensive questions. [Read more 🡒]
Gary Trent Jr. Is Making The Bucks Deal Look Even Riskier
Gary Trent Jr. entered the preseason with a chance to steady the conversation around his new deal, but the early returns have only added to the unease. Through two preseason games, the Bucks wing has struggled to find rhythm, and the scrutiny around Milwaukees decision to extend him has only gotten louder as his shot has not come around.
There is still time for the Bucks to get a better read before the games start to count, with three more preseason tune-ups left on the schedule. For Trent, those outings now carry a little more weight than a normal exhibition stretch, because every clean look and every made shot will shape how this signing is viewed once the regular season arrives. [Read more 🡒]