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Previous Rank: 8
Net Rating: -8.2
The Milwaukee Bucks aren’t just losing games. They’re getting embarrassed.
That net rating is 28th in the league right now. Only the Pelicans and Jazz are worse in that category. This week alone, they lost by double digits to the Nets and got blown out by a short-handed Memphis Grizzlies team that was missing Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart.
And when your numbers are this bad, the problems typically aren’t confined to one end of the floor. Teams are scoring at will on the Bucks, who simply look old on defense.
And on the other end, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the only reliable source of offense. Damian Lillard is averaging 23.2 points, but he’s shooting 41.3 percent from the field and 26.7 percent from deep.
It’s fair to point out that Khris Middleton is missing, but it’s also hard to imagine a 33-year-old wing coming off surgery on both ankles being an instant fix.
Last season, Milwaukee thought a midseason coaching change would provide the jolt of life it desperately needed. At this point, it’s fair to say that jolt never came. And now Bucks fans have to be wondering what’s next.