The undermanned Milwaukee Bucks lost 118-113 to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a game that had a playoff feel to it. Milwaukee nearly came back and won this one despite some rough stretches, leaving room for encouragement alongside the sting of defeat. This was Cleveland’s sixth straight victory over the Bucks, a streak that dates back to January 2024. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast Bucks In Six Minutes below.
Player Grades
Giannis Antetokounmpo
33 minutes, 40 points, 14 rebounds,
9 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 14/20 FG, 1/1 3P, 11/16 FT, -5
It’s probably too hyperbolic to say this, but this felt like one of the all-time signature performances from Giannis. The word “dominant” gets thrown around a lot in hoops talk, but the Greek Freak was genuinely dominant in every sense of the word. His unbelievable determination (and talent, of course) stood out above all else in this game. Without him, Milwaukee probably would have gotten flat-out pummeled. If Antetokounmpo keeps performing as incredibly as he has in this young season, he will reclaim the best-in-the-world crown.
Grade: A+
Myles Turner
31 minutes, 13 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 5/12 FG, 2/6 3P, +1
Turner was rock-solid on defense last night. His two blocks came at crucial moments in the fourth quarter. However, his offense has been really rough so far in his Bucks career. His shots aren’t falling, which will change, but he’s overall looked like just another Giannis-reliant role player out there when this team needs him to be a key offensive cog on a night-to-night basis.
Grade: C
AJ Green
31 minutes, 20 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 6/9 FG, 4/7 3P, 4/5 FT, +3
Dairy Bird was laser-focused in this one. He was stuck on automatic from beyond the arc and played the most complete game by any Buck not named Giannis. His four charity-stripe makes set a new career-high.
Grade: A
Gary Trent Jr.
This is what it can look like when Trent’s shot isn’t falling. He’s a decently disruptive defender, but his potential to impact games falls off a cliff when he isn’t hitting shots, which was the case last night. His -23 plus/minus backs up what the eye test showed: he was the worst player on the floor for either team.
28 minutes, 6 points, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2/9 FG, 1/7 3P, -23
Grade: F
Ryan Rollins
34 minutes, 14 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, 5/11 FG, +7
Rollins contributed across the board as a starter, putting the potential Bucks fans believe in on full display. He was one of the catalysts of Milwaukee’s third-quarter comeback.
Grade: B+
Taurean Prince
31 minutes, 8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 1 block, 3/6 FG, 2/3 3P, +5
Prince did his job last night. He hit timely shots and wasn’t a negative on defense. It was a rare occasion where giving him over 30 minutes felt like the right move.
Grade: B
Bobby Portis
23 minutes, 10 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 turnovers, 4/10 FG, 2/4 3P
Bobby’s lack of defensive presence sticks out like a sore thumb. Whatever the opposite of NBA2K’s intimidator badge is, he has it equipped. The difference between him and Turner, and even him and Jericho Sims, on that end is so stark it’s infuriating, especially on a night where he’s a total black hole on offense. Love ya, Bobby, but be better, please.
Grade: C-
Mark Sears
7 minutes, 1 turnover, -5
Undrafted rookie Mark Sears made his NBA debut in this one with Milwaukee needing some help in the backcourt. The usually-poised little guard looked overwhelmed, though, and he couldn’t hang in the contest at all. His woes will hopefully just be a nerve-induced blip in the road.
Grade: D (unfortunately)
Doc Rivers
Doc mostly pressed the right rotation buttons in this one, and his defensive playcalling was the non-Giannis driver of the third-quarter comeback, as Cleveland had an eight-minute stretch with zero field goals in the period. The man with the clipboard did what he could with a banged-up roster and almost coached an upset victory. He could do more to try and get Myles Turner going moving forward, though, especially when Giannis isn’t on the floor.
Grade: B
Limited Minutes: Amir Coffey, Jericho Sims, Andre Jackson Jr.
DNP-CD: Gary Harris, Pete Nance, Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Inactive: Kevin Porter Jr., Kyle Kuzma, Cole Anthony, Alex Antetokounmpo
Bonus Bucks Bits
- Gary Trent Jr. took a brutally bad shot to start the third quarter that likely had old heads everywhere yelling at the TV. Marques Johnson was certainly frustrated. This should have been a lob to Giannis.
- Doc Rivers on how much contact Giannis plays though, per Eric Nehm: “it’s amazing how many times he gets hit on the arms. It’s like Shaq.”
- Jericho Sims threw down a dunk for his first field goal of the season, which was fitting, because over 75% of his career field goals are slams.
Up Next
The Bucks will take on the New York Knicks at home at 7:00 p.m. Central on Tuesday, another opportunity to snag an upset win against an Eastern Conference contender that has had their number. You can catch the action on Peacock/NBC and FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.
