A 1-6 start to the season doesn't have the Milwaukee Bucks reaching for the panic button just yet. Still, Milwaukee wants to turn things around sooner rather than later as it prepares for a meeting with the visiting Utah Jazz on Thursday night. The Bucks are coming off back-to-back losses against the Cleveland Cavaliers, most recently falling 116-114 on Monday night.
Damian Lillard racked up 36 points and Bobby Portis collected 21 points and 18 rebounds, but it wasn't enough for Milwaukee, which dropped its sixth straight game. Bucks coach Doc Rivers hasn't seen his players getting discouraged, though. "I think the team's very positive.
I think they're upbeat," Rivers said. "No one wants to lose. We got some tough games coming up, but one win at a time.
We win three or four in a row and then the numbers say, ‘If you're 5-6 after (11 games), you have an 80 percent chance to make the playoffs.'" Giannis Antetokounmpo was sidelined by a right adductor strain on Monday and is questionable for Thursday per The Athletic, but Rivers hopes that the forward will be good to go thanks to the extra night of rest. "He hates missing games," Rivers said of Antetokounmpo.
"And he draws them out even when; like I had decided in my own mind that he shouldn't play (Monday) ...
when they told me that he was sore (Saturday). But I always let them (tell me). I was happy when they said -- not happy because you want him to play -- but for his health I think it's the right thing.
" Utah is also 1-6 .