It's been a frustrating season for the Milwaukee Bucks to say the least. Myles Turner's recent comments to HoopsHype accurately sum up how the entire fanbase has been feeling about this team's performance.
"There are nights when we show up, and we can beat anybody, and there are nights when we show up, and we can lose to anybody,” Turner told HoopsHype. “That’s just kind of where we’re at right now."
It's hard to do anything but nod in disappointed agreement at this statement. One night, the Bucks look like a team that can trade punches with anyone in the East. The next, they look disorganized and totally unfocused. It’s not just frustrating, it’s exhausting, because the ceiling is obvious but the floor keeps showing up far too often.
A big part of that inconsistency starts with availability. Giannis Antetokounmpo has missed time again this season, and the Bucks have been wildly inconsistent without him. On the one hand, they've lost to teams like the Charlotte Hornets with Giannis missing, and on the other hand, they've beaten teams like the Pistons and the Celtics without him as well. What's the disconnect?
The Bucks have been maddeningly inconsistent
Even when Giannis is on the floor, the team still struggles to maintain focus for a full 48 minutes. There have been too many games where Milwaukee sleepwalks through the early part of a game and puts themselves in a tough spot. It's what led to their loss to the Washington Wizards while Antetokounmpo was available.
The rotation issues have only added to the chaos. Doc Rivers is still searching for consistent lineups he can trust on both ends, and roles have fluctuated night to night. Some games, the supporting cast looks confident and aggressive. Other nights, spacing disappears and defensive breakdowns pile up. This has led to plenty of uncertainty.
Turner’s presence has helped stabilize parts of the defense, but even he can only do so much when perimeter containment breaks down. Milwaukee gives up far too many straight-line drives, which forces the bigs into impossible decisions at the rim. That’s how a defense that should be respectable ends up looking vulnerable against teams it should handle rather easily.
What makes this season sting most is that the Bucks don't just look totally hopeless. They've beaten several quality opponents and shown they can lock in when the urgency is there. The problem is that urgency should not have to be manufactured every night.
Until Milwaukee figures out how to bring the same edge regardless of opponent or circumstance, Turner’s quote will keep circulating. The Bucks are talented enough to beat anyone, but right now, they’re also undisciplined enough to lose to anyone. And that is precisely why this season feels so maddening.