Golden State Warriors

Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways From Loss To Golden State Warriors

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 9:35 p.m. ET

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The Milwaukee Bucks showed plenty of fight in a close loss to the Golden State Warriors, leaving plenty of positives and negatives to unpack.

Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

A third loss of the week is never a good thing, but this was a much improved performance by the Milwaukee Bucks, and a one possession loss to the Golden State Warriors is certainly not something to be ashamed of.

Although the Warriors have certainly had their defensive difficulties in the early stages of the season, Milwaukee put on an excellent offensive display, for the most part matching the output of the prolific Warriors.

Milwaukee shot the ball well, shared it even better and applied themselves consistently for the entirety of the 48 minutes.

In the end, there was very little secret as to how the Bucks were defeated. They came up against a terrific night from Kevin Durant, who was ably supported by Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. It’s hard to stop that trio from combining for 82 points, as they did on Saturday, but it’s even harder to beat them when they do hit those kind of marks.

The Bucks still had their chances in the final minutes and were left to rue some rudimentary errors that meant their stellar late game defense never saw its equivalent offensive rewards transpire. Considering the performances that this team showed earlier in the week, as much as the outcome will sting, they shouldn’t hang their heads over their performance.

So with that, let’s take a look at what worked and didn’t work in the loss for the Bucks.

Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Capable Of Squaring Up With The Best

Although the Bucks will deservedly be questioned over why they can’t deliver performances of this caliber on a more regular basis, showing that they’re capable of going toe-to-toe with a team like the Warriors was a welcome sight at the end of a week that included lackluster defeats against a depleted Hawks group and an inferior Heat squad.

What games against teams of this caliber offer the Bucks is a quick glance at how they may be able to play against and challenge some of the league’s better teams on a more consistent basis down the line, if everything clicks into place.

In that regard, although the game’s close was far from perfect for Milwaukee, they should take confidence from the fact that they were able to play much of their own game and trouble the league’s most star-studded team.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker were able to cause more than their fair share of problems offensively, while Matthew Dellavedova‘s defense proved troublesome for Curry, particularly as the game wound down.

All of this remains a learning process at this early point of the season, but trying to edge past the Warriors with only two minutes left on the clock is as close as you’re going to get to playoff intensity before April, and Milwaukee’s young group should take value from that experience.

Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Inbounding Problems Need To Be Addressed

An ongoing problem for the Bucks that has flown a little under the radar over the past season or so has been the team’s struggles to get the ball inbounded when the stakes are really high. In this game, those issues were ultimately what prevented the Bucks from taking the Warriors’ scalp again.

Often end of game plays that don’t quite come off as planned can result in fans and analysts slating players for poor execution, or coaches for poor play-calling, but the reality is if a team can’t get the ball in quickly and accurately, the original intent of the play can be quickly rendered meaningless.

Giannis is generally the man called upon to deliver the ball for Milwaukee in such situations, which considering his long arms and height seems like a sound choice in theory. He can see over the defense and get the pass away over the defender. More often than not, it hasn’t quite worked out like that though.

Giannis does not look overly confident in that situation, with his instinct being to rush the ball in leading to panic if the defense denies his early attempts.

That was evident in this game as with just over 30 seconds remaining and a short shot clock, Giannis waited searching for a lob in Jabari Parker’s direction, before ultimately having to settle for a hurried give and go with Dellavedova, a forced drive and a poor shot in the lane.

Antetokoumpo wasn’t the only guilty party either. After delivering the necessary stop, with 10 seconds left the Bucks had one more chance, with Tony Snell tasked with the pass on this occasion. In spite of little pressure on the inbounds, no Buck showed to offer Snell a simple pass. Instead, he attempted a difficult looping pass to Giannis that was intercepted by Draymond Green, effectively ending Milwaukee’s chances.

The Bucks need to find a player who isn’t just long, isn’t just a capable passer, but also has exceptional intelligence and composure. They haven’t had a player who could deliver in that situation since Jared Dudley‘s departure, and it hurts the team in tight games more than anyone seems to notice or talk about.

Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Small Ball A Real Option

Starting late in the Atlanta game, this 0-3 stretch of games at least produced one real positive. The past week has marked the first real instances of the Bucks experimenting with the kind of center-less basketball that has made their opponents from Saturday so successful of late.

With great size, length and versatility across the roster, the Bucks have a distinct advantage over many teams in that they can go “small” without necessarily giving up many of their more traditional advantages.

As the Warriors heated up with Draymond Green at the five spot on Saturday, Kidd looked to match fire with fire for a time, and once again, the results were far from discouraging.

Giannis offers more rim protection at center than any of Milwaukee’s traditional fives, so when it’s a like for like small ball matchup, it becomes a very comfortable fit for the Greek Freak.

With the Bucks so reliant on creating fastbreak opportunities, smaller, more athletic and agile lineups also create greater chances to get out and run, as well as more space for the team’s shooters.

The Bucks have a lot of skill (and money) tied up at the center position, so it’s not a strategy that should become their number one option by any means, but it’s a very useful new bow in the team’s arsenal that Jason Kidd should look to call upon whenever it makes sense.

Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Moose’s Mysterious Minutes

Prior to tip on Saturday Jason Kidd said that he would only go with two centers against Golden State.

That turned out to be a lie, but only just. With Henson as the starter, Miles Plumlee was the next big to get his name called, leaving Greg Monroe in something of a limbo.

Monroe played only seven minutes against Atlanta, in spite of the absence of Dwight Howard creating favorable matchups for an old school post-scorer, and then went on to register a DNP in Miami the following night.

On this occasion, Monroe took to the floor for just two minutes before returning to his seat to ponder what has been a very strange week.

The idea of Monroe playing minimal minutes in spells may have seemed plausible during the summer, but the quality of his play and effort in the early running this year makes it something of a puzzle.

Monroe has demonstrated greater defensive effort than ever before, embraced his role out of the starting lineup and almost certainly been Milwaukee’s best player behind Giannis and Jabari. Yet here we are.

Zach Lowe commented on this shift in Monroe’s minutes on the Lowe Post by saying it seems something “fishy” is going on, and it’s hard to disagree with that feeling. It’s hard to pin Monroe’s week to poor matchups, as he averaged 16 points and eight rebounds against Miami last year, and 19 points, 12 rebounds and 5.5 assists against the Warriors.

Monroe’s played well, so on that front he’s not deserving of a reduced role. Perhaps trade talks have resurfaced, or maybe it’s just the latest in a long line of bizarre Jason Kidd rotation decisions. Either way, we should be disappointed, but unfortunately no longer shocked.

The next opponent for the Bucks will be the Orlando Magic on Monday night at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.