Welcome to Winners & Sinners, where we reflect on the week that was for the Milwaukee Bucks. Week 2 saw the Bucks go 1-2, with the team getting its first win of the season by defeating the arch-rival Indiana Pacers, before being forced into concussion protocols by the Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers. But who’s deserving of the hardware?
MVB
Tyler Herro collects his first MVB of the week on the back of efficient shooting in two out of three games and a best-on-court performance against the Pacers:
23 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. The shooting was expected, the poise has stood out, and, more importantly, he was Milwaukee’s best when they were at their best, leading the team to its only win of the season thus far.
Defensive Belt
Defending Champion: Kyle Kuzma.
The Contenders: N/A.
The Decision: Outside of the win against the Pacers, the Bucks haven’t exactly stopped anyone this week. Myles Turner had some moments in that game, then got mauled by Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley against the Cavaliers, who combined for 52 points on 23/32 shooting (72%) in just 48 minutes. Consider the belt vacated until someone shows enough to earn it.
The People’s Champ
retired janitor’s wisdom is always appreciated, but this comment—in a quality back-and-forth with naveed2000s—is too good to overlook:
Please do go deeper into the early-second-round versus late-first-round draft returns, rj! In the meantime, who’s up for marshmallows?
Run That Back
This one was simple, or so I thought. Kasparas Jakučionis gets the ball off the swing from Kel’el Ware and thinks like any good point guard does: Return the favour. First, he jabs sideline; buys some space and forces the switch. Then he curls middle, casts the line: one dribble, two dribbles—just enough line to hook Larry Nance, reel him closer. A third follows, a beat to let the water settle. Then it comes, the left-handed spear between rocks. Right to the chest. And before you know it, the catch is in the net.
Then, in the week’s waning moments, Brayden Burries does this:
INSANE BRAYDEN BURRIES POSTER! 🚨 https://t.co/ftmnY0eBWG
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 1, 2026
Gravity-defying stuff—and enough vertical to lift our collective spirits!
Sinner(s)
Myles Turner: You hate to kick a bloke when he’s down, but Myles Turner has just not been good enough. Not close to it. He was better to start this week against the Pacers, but that game actually proves the point. Turner has been so bad for the Bucks that a six-point, nine-rebound, four-assist, four-block performance, which also came with 29% shooting, three turnovers, and some “efforts” that would lead to a benching for Kel’el Ware, was lauded as a standout night. Following that, he put up just four points and two rebounds against the Rockets before being abused by Allen, Mobley, and whoever else cared to venture into the Bucks’ defensive paint against the Cavaliers.
Second Quarters: Against the Pacers, the Bucks hit just 8/24 shots in the second quarter as a two-point quarter-time lead became an 11-point halftime deficit. Against the Rockets, the Bucks hit just 6/24 shots in the second quarter as they let a two-point quarter-time deficit explode to 22 by halftime. Against the Cavaliers, the Bucks hit just 7/28 shots as they let a one-point quarter-time lead transform into a 26-point deficit. This. Is. Not. Going. To. Get. The. Job. Done.
For more on the Bucks second-quarter woes, check out their shot charts, courtesy of NBA.com:
If… Then…
If Nate Ament has already overtaken Ousmane Dieng in the forward rotation, then the 2026 trade-deadline darling has some serious work to do. Dieng’s offseason deal—three years, $17.5m—seemed surprisingly good for the Bucks, but maybe they knew his play down the stretch was more mirage than oasis.
That’s all for Week 2. Share your winners and sinners in the comments!
