Halloween night brought another ugly chapter for the Bucks, and this one got out of hand fast.
Milwaukee wore its black jerseys against Cleveland and walked away with a 136-111 loss that fit the holiday mood far too well. After a 32-point defeat to the Houston Rockets, the Bucks were hoping for a reset in front of a crowd dressed for the occasion. Instead, they were buried by a Cavaliers offense that looked comfortable from the opening tip.
Evan Mobley led the way with 27 points, while Jarrett Allen added 25 points and 11 rebounds. Cleveland barely had to force anything.
The Cavaliers shot 52-for-100 from the field and 20-for-46 from 3-point range, while piling up 60 points in the paint. They also hit 72 points in the first half alone, doing most of the damage with a brutal second quarter that turned a one-point Milwaukee lead after the first into a 72-46 Cavaliers advantage at halftime.
That stretch told the story. The Bucks led 25-24 after one quarter, then watched Cleveland explode for 48 points in the second.
It was the kind of collapse that has started to feel familiar. Milwaukee gave up 34 points in the second quarter against Houston and 44 in the second against Chicago, and heading into this game the Bucks were tied for the second-most points allowed in the second quarter according NBA.com.
The defensive issues were impossible to miss. Transition defense, half-court defense, all of it was a problem. Cleveland’s efficiency was so clean it looked like Casper the Friendly Ghost was out there defending for Milwaukee.
The Cavaliers didn’t even need huge scoring nights from Donovan Mitchell and Harden, who were two of the team’s top three scorers entering the game. Mobley and Allen did enough to keep the pressure on all night.
For the Bucks, the result dropped them to 1-5, and there still hasn’t been much to feel good about. But there was at least a small bright spot in the loss.
Brayden Burries and Nate Ament, the two rookies the Bucks drafted the day after Giannis Antetokounmpo was traded, both turned in career-high performances. Burries finished with 14 points and three rebounds while shooting 4-for-7 from the field. Ament also scored 14 points, going 6-for-8 from the field and 2-for-3 from 3-point range.
They tied for the second-most points off the bench for Milwaukee, and both delivered a pair of highlight-reel dunks. Burries even threw down a poster.
For a fan base that has seen little to celebrate in this rough start, the rookies gave the night its lone spark.
In Other News...
Bucks May Have A Simple Rotation Fix For Ryan Rollins
Ryan Rollins early-season dip in scoring and shooting efficiency has become one of the quieter concerns around Milwaukee, especially after the way he flashed last year. The Bucks have been searching for the right mix around him, and one possible answer is hiding in plain sight: more minutes alongside Kasparas Jakucionis, whose passing has already become a meaningful part of the offense.
The pairing has not been used much, but the numbers from their shared stretches have been encouraging enough to suggest there may be a simple rotation tweak available. If Milwaukee wants to get Rollins back into a better rhythm, leaning into that combination could be a practical next step, even if the sample size is still small. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Rookie Nate Ament Is Forcing A Bigger Role Early
Nate Ament has already worked his way into a more visible spot in the Bucks early-season rotation, and it has happened less because of hype than because Milwaukee needed someone to seize the opening. Ousmane Diengs uneven play created that opening, and Ament has taken advantage with steady minutes and a willingness to do the little things that keep him on the floor.
The rookies box score line is still modest, but there are signs of a player earning trust beyond the scoring column. He is shooting 45.8 percent from the field and has been effective defensively, holding opponents to a 31 percent shooting rate when he is the primary defender, even if the jump shot has not come around yet. For a Bucks team looking for reliable contributions around its core, the question now is how far Ament can push that role before the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Now Face A Bigger Ryan Rollins Problem Than Expected
The Bucks moved on from Kevin Porter Jr. hoping the backcourt would settle into a cleaner, more productive shape, but the early returns have only sharpened the questions around Ryan Rollins. After a promising stretch last season, Rollins has not matched that level of efficiency or all-around impact this year, leaving Milwaukee to sort through a guard rotation that was supposed to become simpler, not more complicated.
One possible answer is to pair Rollins with Kasparas Jakucionis, whose natural playmaking could help ease some of the burden on the ball. Even so, the Bucks are now weighing what Rollins can realistically be for them going forward, and his current play could factor into both his role and the teams thinking on his contract. The Porter decision still looks sound in Milwaukees view, but the bigger issue may be whether Rollins can become the guard the Bucks expected. [Read more 🡒]