Bucks Fall Flat Without Giannis in 109-99 Loss to Wizards
The Milwaukee Bucks couldn’t get out of their own way on Wednesday night, falling 109-99 to a Washington Wizards team that, on paper, should’ve been a winnable matchup-even without Giannis Antetokounmpo in the lineup. But the Bucks' issues went beyond missing their MVP.
This was a game where Milwaukee shot better from the field and from three, yet still came up short. Why?
Look no further than the free throw line.
The Wizards made a living at the charity stripe, outscoring the Bucks by a wide margin there. It’s a theme that’s been all too familiar in games without Giannis: defensive lapses, unnecessary fouls, and a general lack of discipline. And while their performance against Philadelphia earlier in the week showed some fight, this one felt like a step backward.
One particularly painful storyline? Kyshawn George-who recently mentioned he thought Milwaukee was going to draft him-lit up the Bucks. That’s the kind of twist that stings a little extra.
Let’s break down what went right, what went wrong, and who showed up-or didn’t-for Milwaukee.
Player Grades
Ryan Rollins
26 minutes, 17 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 4 steals, 1 turnover, 7/13 FG, 3/5 3P, -3
Rollins was a spark plug when he was actually on the floor. He made plays on both ends-timely buckets, smart passes, active hands on defense.
But early foul trouble cut his first-half minutes short, which really hurt the Bucks’ rhythm. He’s too important to be sitting that long, especially with the current roster.
Still, when he played, he looked confident and in control.
Grade: B+
Myles Turner
39 minutes, 21 points, 14 rebounds, 6 blocks, 2 turnovers, 8/16 FG, 2/6 3P, +2
Turner was a force. Six blocks is no joke, even if the Wizards were shorthanded in the frontcourt.
His rebounding was strong, his rim protection was elite, and he played with the kind of intensity you want from your veteran big. He was one of the few bright spots in a flat performance.
Grade: A-
AJ Green
37 minutes, 2 points, 3 assists, 1/6 FG, 0/4 3P, -10
Tough night for Green. The Bucks needed his shooting, and it just wasn’t there.
He had a nice early read off a pick-and-roll, but after that, he faded into the background. Defensively, he didn’t have many favorable matchups, and it showed.
When your role is to stretch the floor and you go 0-for-4 from three, that’s a problem.
Grade: D+
Kyle Kuzma
34 minutes, 19 points, 6 assists, 9 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 8/18 FG, 0/3 3P, -8
Kuzma had moments-especially in transition late in the game-but there was a lot of erratic play, too. He struggled with decision-making and forced the issue at times, which led to empty possessions.
The stat line looks decent, but the impact wasn’t consistent.
Grade: C-
Bobby Portis
36 minutes, 19 points, 3 assists, 7 rebounds, 8/17 FG, 2/5 3P, -21
This was one of those Bobby games where the box score doesn’t tell the whole story. Offensively, he was effective, especially in the post.
He even dropped a slick dime to Pete Nance under the hoop. But defensively?
Yikes. His -21 plus-minus was the worst on the team by a mile, and it wasn’t a coincidence.
Grade: C
Pete Nance
20 minutes, 13 points, 6 rebounds, 6/10 FG, 1/3 3P, -1
Nance made the most of his minutes. He was in the right spots, finished plays, and gave the Bucks some much-needed energy.
He got the nod over Jericho Sims and earned every bit of it. Quietly effective, and exactly what you want from a rotation guy.
Grade: A
**Gary Trent Jr. **
24 minutes, 3 points, 1/6 FG, 1/5 3P, -1
Trent took the right shots-they just didn’t fall.
The problem is, this has become a trend. His role is built around scoring, and when that dries up, it’s hard to justify the minutes.
Grade: D
Cole Anthony
17 minutes, 5 points, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 2/11 FG, 1/6 3P, -9
Anthony struggled. He forced shots, turned the ball over, and couldn’t get into any sort of rhythm.
His shot selection left a lot to be desired, and the offense stalled when he was running the show.
Grade: F
Doc Rivers
This is where things get complicated.
Rivers is working with a depleted roster, so expectations have to be tempered. But even with that caveat, the Bucks didn’t look ready to compete in the first three quarters.
That’s on the coach. The decision to play Pete Nance over Sims was a good one.
Giving Andre Jackson Jr. some run? Also fine.
But the team’s lack of urgency and defensive discipline-especially with all the fouls on jump shooters-speaks to a group that wasn’t locked in.
Grade: C-
Limited Minutes
- Andre Jackson Jr.: Saw a brief stint but didn’t make much of an impact.
- DNP-CD: Amir Coffey, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Jericho Sims
- Inactive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Alex Antetokounmpo, Kevin Porter Jr., Taurean Prince
Bonus Bucks Bits
- Milwaukee committed at least three flagrant fouls for getting into shooters’ landing space. That’s not just sloppy-it’s dangerous.
One of those fouls sent Wizards rookie Tre Johnson to the locker room, and he didn’t return. Doc Rivers wasn’t happy postgame, and understandably so.
- Myles Turner had what looked like a clean block late in the game that would’ve been his seventh. The refs called a foul for lower-body contact, and the Bucks lost the challenge.
Doc’s reaction? Let’s just say he didn’t hold back: “To make a call like that at the end of a game, to decide a game, is just absolutely awful.”
- This game was nationally televised, and if you were wondering why, the answer likely lies in the Wizards honoring John Wall. Still, it was an odd choice for a prime-time slot.
- Wizards rookie AJ Johnson didn’t play, which was surprising given the team’s current direction. Even in a rebuild, some of these young guys aren’t seeing the floor.
- Khris Middleton looked solid in limited minutes. It seems like the team is managing his workload carefully, which might be the smart play long-term.
Final Word
The Bucks are now 28-9, but without Giannis, they’re a very different team-and not in a good way. This loss to the Wizards exposed some familiar cracks: defensive miscommunication, foul trouble, and inconsistent effort.
There were a few individual bright spots, but as a unit, Milwaukee needs to find a way to stay competitive when their star isn’t on the floor. Because right now, the drop-off is steep.