The Milwaukee Bucks returned home hoping to be ready for the playoffs.

The Bucks arrived at Fiserv Forum for a five-game homestand following a disappointing 117-113 loss to the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.

Following that stretch, Milwaukee has two road games to finish the regular season, so this was an excellent opportunity to get into a rhythm.

Box score: Grizzlies 111, Bucks 101.

Despite losing stars and having some defensive concerns, the Bucks looked out of sync in a 111-101 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.

Brook Lopez led the Bucks with 25 points, shooting 9 for 14 and 5 for 7 from three-point range. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 21 points on 10-of-23 shooting, with eight assists and seven rebounds.

Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton sit out.
Bucks’ guard Damian Lillard missed his third consecutive game. He sat out against the Atlanta Hawks for personal reasons, and he missed Tuesday’s loss to the Washington Wizards due to a right groin strain.

“Feeling a lot better,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers stated during his pregame media availability. “Had a great workout yesterday. “I was on the court today working out.”

Bucks starting guard Khris Middleton will also miss the back-to-back due to injury.

Giannis Antetokounmpo rebounded from an awful first half.
Antetokounpo went 4 for 14 in the first half, and the Bucks went into the locker room behind 53-49. Antetokounmpo entered the game shooting 61.6%. 

Even more troubling for Bucks fans was Antetokounmpo’s persistent grabbing at his ailing left hamstring.

But Antetokounmpo was back on the court to begin the second half.

He helped the Bucks build a 67-57 lead in the third quarter. 

Jaren Jackson Jr. brought the Grizzlies back in the game.
Grizzlies standout Jaren Jackson Jr. had a great third-quarter finish, helping Memphis take a 79-78 lead.

Memphis then established an 83-78 lead in the first minutes of the fourth quarter.

With 7:15 remaining, the Bucks rallied and led 90-89.

But Jackson hit a layup and a three-pointer, and the Grizzlies cruised the rest of the way.

Jackson scored a game-high 35 points.

Bucks suffered another brutal loss to the Grizzlies.
When the clubs last met, the Bucks suffered one of their worst losses of the season. The Bucks suffered a 113-110 loss at Memphis before the all-star break. Rivers responded with angry comments. 

“We had some guys here, we had some guys in Cabo,” Rivers went on to say.

Five numbers: Bucks’ 1-7 record without Lillard.

40 The Bucks’ Big Three of Antetokounmpo, Middleton, and Lillard have played 40 games together, but only six since Rivers took over the bench on January 29. 

The Bucks utilized ten players during the first half.

There have been four games this season in which Antetokounmpo has shot sub 40%.

01/27/24 Lopez’s previous high was 24 points versus New Orleans. Lopez scored 25 against the Grizzlies.