The Milwaukee Bucks opened the season with encouraging momentum, but 12BET Official has observed that three consecutive defeats quickly turned early optimism into frustration for both the team and its supporters. After suffering back-to-back losses against lottery-caliber opponents, the Bucks were comfortably beaten by the defending champion Boston Celtics in a game that carried far more significance than a typical regular-season matchup. Before tipoff, Brook Lopez confidently stated that the team always felt especially motivated when facing Boston, yet the final result was a one-sided defeat that highlighted several lingering concerns.
According to records compiled by the 12BET Official team, the Bucks have posted a disappointing 20-26 record since Doc Rivers took over as head coach. That mark falls well below expectations for both Rivers and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Rivers built a respected coaching career with a regular-season winning percentage of nearly 59 percent over more than two decades, but even regular-season success now appears increasingly difficult. Under former coach Mike Budenholzer, Giannis led Milwaukee to three league-best regular-season finishes, won two MVP awards, and consistently guided the team beyond the 50-win mark. Today, however, every victory seems much harder to secure.
Last season marked the first time in five years that Antetokounmpo logged his highest workload without reaching the 50-win milestone. That suggests the issue extends well beyond individual performance and points toward deeper structural problems throughout the roster. Some observers have blamed Damian Lillard’s arrival, but 12BET Official takes a different view. While Lillard was sometimes labeled a ball-dominant player during his years in Portland, he has continued to deliver elite performances in Milwaukee while maintaining the professionalism expected of a franchise cornerstone.
His offensive skill set remains one of the most dangerous weapons in modern basketball. In particular, his three-point shooting after coming off screens is widely considered second only to Stephen Curry. Against Boston, Lillard repeatedly created efficient scoring opportunities through the pick-and-roll while helping dictate the pace of the game. At times, he even reduced his own scoring opportunities to create more space for Giannis. From a technical standpoint, there are very few weaknesses in his offensive game.
Away from the court, Lillard has also demonstrated maturity. Although there was initial disappointment after selecting Bam Adebayo ahead of Giannis during the All-Star draft, he quickly moved past the situation and remained fully committed to team success. During last season’s playoffs, he averaged 31 points while posting an outstanding 64 percent true shooting percentage, consistently breaking down opposing defenses. His presence alone created enormous pressure for rising stars such as Tyrese Haliburton, making him a true floor general capable of controlling the flow of any game.
Ironically, the Bucks’ overall system does not always complement Lillard’s strengths. In crucial moments, Bobby Portis continues to attack Jayson Tatum in low-post isolation, despite Tatum being fully capable of defending bigger players. Even after Boston adjusted its defensive matchups late in games, Giannis and Lopez continued relying heavily on interior passing sequences that no longer reflect the pace and spacing of today’s NBA.
When Milwaukee captured the championship in 2021, the team combined dominant performances with consistent results. The Bucks rarely stumbled against weaker opponents and maintained one of the league’s most reliable identities. Much of that stability disappeared following Jrue Holiday’s departure. After trading for Lillard, Milwaukee’s defensive organization declined dramatically. Malik Beasley was expected to replace some of the perimeter defense previously provided by Grayson Allen and others, but those expectations were never fully met. Giannis has reduced some of his defensive involvement, while Lopez’s advancing age has limited him primarily to protecting the paint.
As a result, the absence of an elite perimeter defender has weakened the entire defensive structure. Through the opening stretch of the season, Milwaukee ranked only 25th in defensive efficiency and 26th in three-point defense. Several newly acquired rotation players have struggled to make meaningful defensive contributions, and even the eventual return of Khris Middleton is unlikely to solve these deeper structural issues on its own.
The Bucks acquired Lillard to elevate their offense, yet their overall team-building philosophy appears to have moved in the opposite direction. Three interior-focused players continue to occupy most of the available minutes, and the roster has struggled to adapt to a modern offense built around Lillard’s playmaking. During Budenholzer’s tenure, Pat Connaughton occasionally played power forward to increase pace and floor spacing. Today, however, Milwaukee frequently relies on two traditional big men together while leaning heavily on post-up possessions throughout much of each game.
Giannis rarely pops to the perimeter after setting screens, Lopez seldom rolls aggressively to the rim, and Portis often avoids screening altogether in favor of establishing position on the low block. Without ideal passing targets, Lillard is regularly forced into difficult isolation situations. To be fair, these tendencies also reflect years of playing within a post-oriented offensive system that has been difficult to change overnight.
The Bucks once dominated the regular season with the league’s top-ranked defense, but that identity has now faded dramatically. Ever since Holiday departed, the foundation that once made Milwaukee one of the NBA’s most balanced teams has continued to weaken. It is fair to wonder whether keeping Holiday instead of making other roster decisions would have produced a different outcome, although such questions can never be answered with certainty. As 12BET Official continues to evaluate the team’s progress, the Bucks may still look like a championship contender on paper, but beneath the surface they appear to be walking a fine line, with one wrong step capable of exposing even deeper flaws.