Although the Milwaukee Bucks have struggled defensively this season, they turned in one of their better efforts in that area in a loss to Minnesota on Monday night.
The Milwaukee defense will face a stiff test when the Bucks visit the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.
The Bucks are 1-6 and have lost three games in a row, but Monday’s 112-100 setback to Minnesota was the first time they allowed less than 127 points in a loss.
Milwaukee enters Wednesday’s matchup allowing an average of 124.1 points per game, while Boston is averaging 115 points on offense.
Milwaukee’s increased defensive intensity Monday wasn’t enough to make up for a lackluster offense, however, as the Bucks shot a season-low 38.4% from the field.
“Just the ability to continue to try and just ground out three stops in a row, four stops in a row, they make a tough shot, go down and try to create something in transition or try to create an open look,” Milwaukee coach Taylor Jenkins said. “If it didn’t work out, just back it up with another intensified defensive possession and sequences.
“So, that’s progress there. The sustainability is the biggest thing. This is our best, in a loss situation, 48 minutes (defensively) against a great opponent. I thought the defense was there; we just gotta continue to find ways to help the offense.”
Tyler Herro led Milwaukee with 21 points, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 19. Brayden Burries, the 10th pick in this year’s NBA draft, was in the starting lineup for the first time and finished with nine points and nine rebounds but was only 4 of 15 from the field.
“Just wanted to do something different,” Jenkins said. “Was excited about the change. You’re 1-5, thinking about different things, you’re thinking about the full 48 minutes, how we help our bench units. It was just a decision I went with.
“Excited for the opportunities that he’s going to have ahead. Just understand the matchups he’s going to have, the discipline it’s gonna take and how he can be an engine for us on offense, his ability to get downhill. When the ball’s moving, he’s going to get those open shots and just keep letting it fly.”
Boston, meanwhile, had its five-game winning streak stopped with Monday’s 109-93 loss at Houston. The Celtics rested Paul George because it was the team’s second game in as many nights. George scored 17 points in Sunday’s 108-97 victory at Orlando.
Jayson Tatum scored a team-high 19 points in Monday’s loss but was 5 of 16 from the field, including 1 of 7 from 3-point territory. Tatum is averaging 27 points per game this season.
“Everybody plays back-to-backs,” he said. “We’re not the only team that’s gotta travel and play a back-to-back. Are they tough? Yeah, but a lot of us been doing this for a long time. There were moments (vs. Houston) where we cut it to six or seven (points) and couldn’t get a rebound, and they hit a three. It’s moments like that where we gotta dig deeper a little bit.”
The Celtics were 32 of 83 from the field against the Rockets and missed 30 of 42 tries from 3-point range.
After Wednesday’s contest, Boston will play eight of its next 10 games on the road.
