The Milwaukee Bucks haven\u2019t looked like their usual selves all season.<\/p>\n
In the beginning, this was due to the arrival of scorer Damian Lillard<\/a>, the absence of mainstay Khris Middleton<\/a>, and a different approach to their base defense. Eight months from the start of the season and not much has changed. Lillard still hasn\u2019t gotten acclimated to the city or the team. Middleton has played 52 games but is now back out of the lineup.<\/p>\n A familiar defensive coverage has been installed<\/a>, thanks to Doc Rivers. Rivers has even sought out ways to make Lillard more comfortable offensively. However, they\u2019re just 15-17 under the veteran coach after going 30-13 with his predecessor.<\/p>\n Following their latest loss, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/a> spoke at length about the team\u2019s energy amid their struggles<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s almost like we\u2019re going through the motions,\u201d Antetokounmpo asserts, per The Athletic\u2019s Shams Charania and Eric Nehm. Reeling off his and his teammate\u2019s post-play celebrations, he notes they\u2019ve been conspicuously absent.<\/p>\n \u201cWe gotta find our joy back,\u201d he concludes.<\/p>\n Lillard also spoke at length about the team\u2019s attitude in the face of adversity. To him, these moments reveal people\u2019s true character.<\/p>\n For his part, he\u2019s a believer.<\/p>\n \u201cI see Giannis, Khris (Middleton)<\/a>, Bobby (Portis)<\/a> and Brook (Lopez)<\/a> and Jae (Crowder)<\/a> and Pat (Connaughton)<\/a>, [Malik Beasley<\/a>]. When I look around, I just have a true belief in what we have, our experience, how long we\u2019ve been around,\u201d Lillard says.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd when this kind of stuff happens, everybody\u2019s going to say how bad it is. And \u2018This is the problem.\u2019 (or) \u2018They gotta do this; they gotta do that.\u2019 But when you just keep fighting in these situations, you never know when it\u2019s going to turn.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201cAnd I know that sometimes it gets dark,\u201d Lillard continues. \u201cThis league is a tough league. Sometimes you have hard times. And I think that\u2019s what it is for us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why you gotta stay together, you gotta keep believing,\u201d he implores.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what we\u2019re going to learn about ourselves going into the playoffs, based on the experience that we having right now.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Lillard also believes that \u201cthese are the moments where you find out who\u2019s a real one and who\u2019s not, because everybody\u2019s going to be saying negative stuff and how wrong it is and how bad it is, and you can fold or not fold.\u201d<\/p>\nGiannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard Reveal Biggest Challenge Amid Struggles<\/h2>\n
Last Word on the Bucks\u2019 Spirit<\/h3>\n