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, âIf 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 but got there in a different fashion, opening the campaign on a six-game skid before beating the Chicago Bulls 135-126 on Monday night.
Keyonte George put together one of the best performances of his two-year NBA career for the Jazz, going off for a career-tying-best 33 points on 8-of-18 shooting from the field. He went 6-for-12 from beyond the arc and also dished out nine assists.
John Collins came off the bench to record a 28-point, 13-rebound double-double for Utah.
“Starting the season 0-6 is not easy, and with the injuries and things that have gone on and changing lineups, I’m just — I’m proud of them and the way that they’ve stuck together,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said.
Among those injured is forward Lauri Markkanen, who is dealing with low back spasms and has missed Utah’s past three games. Before hitting the shelf, Markkanen averaged 18.0 points and 7.3 rebounds in four games.
The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Markkanen was a full participant during Wednesday’s practice but is questionable for Thursday.
Rookie Kyle Filipowski has stepped into the starting lineup in place of Markkanen and has averaged 7.0 points and 5.3 boards over his past three games.
Collins is hoping that the victory on Monday provides the Jazz with a spark, and he is confident that Utah can rely on anyone who has to end up eating minutes.
“We have a great group of guys who lean on that positive spirit,” Collins said. “That’s going to be big for us, to not get too high or too low.”
Utah forward Taylor Hendricks underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a fractured right fibula and dislocated ankle. He suffered the non-contact injury during the third quarter of a 110-102 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Oct. 28.
