3 Takeaways from Bucks' Abysmal Blowout Loss to Spurs

Both teams' best players were in fine form.

Jan 31, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots over Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images / Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Despite a 35-point, 14-rebound, six-assist night from nine-time All-Star power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks allowed the most points to an opponent this season in a 144-116 Friday road demolition at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs.

The win means that the two teams have split their season series. Milwaukee previously blew out San Antonio 121-105 in a January 8 Fiserv Forum game.

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The Spurs headed into the game looking to break a five-game home losing streak. They had gone 2-8 across their previous 10 contests. Milwaukee, having gone 7-3 in its last 10 bouts, drops to a 26-20 record on the year, identical to the Indiana Pacers at this point in the season. The Spurs, meanwhile, improve to 21-24, but will remain stuck as the Western Conference's No. 12 seed.

1. The Bucks Went All-In On Aggressive Defense Against Victor Wembanyama

Milwaukee did what it could to disrupt first-time All-Star Spurs center Victor Wembanyama all over the floor, although it didn't ultimately make much of an adverse impact.

As Bucks head coach Doc Rivers had done extensively during the clubs' first encounter earlier this month, Antetokounmpo was sicced onto Wembanyma for most of the night, with two-time All-Defensive Milwaukee center Brook Lopez and all of his 7-foot-6 wingspan left to patrol the paint as a freelance or stick on power forwards Harrison Barnes and Devin Vassell.

Still, everyone seemed to have gotten the memo early: get physical with Wembanyama. Taurean Prince poked a ball away on a switch.

He still finished with 30 points on 9-of-20 shooting from the field (including 5-of-11 from deep, even though at 7-foot-3 with a gazelle-like first step he could break down pretty much anyone off the dribble) and 7-of-7 shooting from the foul line, plus 14 rebounds, six blocks and an assist in 30:30.

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That said, the Bucks' point-of-attack defense was fairly lackluster. The Spurs held a 42-36 advantage over the Bucks in terms of points scored in the paint, but that edge doesn't accurately reflect just how easy it was for San Antonio's fastbreak attack to set up downhill actions.

2. Khris Middleton Enjoyed His Best Night of the Year

Middleton finished with 21 points, one shy of his season high, but looked closer to his old self than ever. He didn't even record a miss until his ninth field goal attempt late into the game.

Took until the fourth quarter, but Khris Middleton just missed his first shot of the night.

Started the game 8-for-8 on his way to 21 points.

— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) February 1, 2025

In just 22:39 off the bench behind Taurean Prince, he finished with 21 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field (3-of-4 from deep) and 2-of-2 from the foul line, four rebounds, two assists and one block.

Things were relatively even through the first half, thanks in no small part to Middleton's sharpshooting and Antetokounmpo's drives. Milwaukee actually led, 71-70, at the break.

Up at the break. pic.twitter.com/sRFDwATqdS

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) February 1, 2025

3. Doc Rivers Rode His Preferred Lineup Hard Even with the Game Out of Hand

This is a relatively minor quibble, but worth monitoring as the games start to matter more down this home stretch. Friday's matchup was essentially out of hand early in the fourth quarter, around the time a Jeremy Sochan dunk leveled the Spurs up to a 120-103 advantage with 9:58 left in regulation.

Rivers nevertheless kept his starters in until the 3:46 mark for some reason. Milwaukee couldn't get anything going, and frustrations bubbled over so much that Antetokounmpo and Spurs point guard Chris Paul got into a heated argument after Paul shoved him in the back on a field goal attempt. Frustrated altercations and injuries that can be avoided in meaningless minutes of January blowouts absolutely should be avoided. Say what you will about Mike Budenholzer, but the man (a longtime Spurs assistant coach, not incidentally) loved to micromanage minutes — to the benefit of his players' health.

Next up for Milwaukee is a back-to-back slate of road games, against two of the West's top three teams in the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.

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