3 questions for Milwaukee Bucks after opening night of the 2021-22 NBA season
The Milwaukee Bucks came out on top in their opening night match-up against the heavily-favored Brooklyn Nets, recording a 127-104 victory. The NBA champions began their season in startling form, dominating the team many consider their biggest rivals in their quest for a successful title defense.
The Milwaukee Bucks were presented with their NBA championship rings before the game. They began the game firing on all cylinders and showed no signs of a championship hangover, continuing the form they showed in the majority of their preseason matches as they put the Nets to the sword, establishing a 31-12 healthy lead in the first quarter of their matchup.
The Bucks defend home court 😤
Milwaukee takes the W over the Nets on opening night. https://t.co/C27TfIkG2X
Giannis Antetokounmpo, in his first competitive game since scoring 50 points in their championship win against the Phoenix Suns, led the barrage, scoring 32 points on opening night. He was ably assisted on the night by Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton, both players recording 20 points each. The Bucks shrugged off a first-half injury to Jrue Holiday, and started their title defense in the sharpest way possible.
They also outrebounded the Nets 54-44 and took 21 more shots than the Nets, as many players came up with key contributions in the match-up, putting up stellar performances that should surely answer most of the questions posed to the team in the summer regarding their title credentials.
Regardless, here are three questions for the Milwaukee Bucks after their opening night match-up.
#1 What will the Milwaukee Bucks do without Jrue Holiday?
Although the Milwaukee Bucks enjoyed a wonderful opening night, their celebrations soured somewhat with the news of an injury to Jrue Holiday. The shooting guard exited the match in the first half due to a right heel contusion, and he could be a point of concern for the Bucks going into their next match against the Miami Heat.
Holiday was one of the Bucks' best players last season, and arguably the second most important one after Antetokounmpo, as he scored 1,046 points, making 111 three-pointers. And he continued his excellent form on opening night, recording 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, before suffering the unfortunate injury that kept him from participating in the second half.
Injury Update:
Jrue Holiday - right heel contusion - will not return tonight
The Milwaukee Bucks held on though, with substitute Jordan Nwora stepping up from the bench to fill in his shooting boots. However, Holiday’s injury, subject to an MRI scan, should pose problems for the Bucks in the long run, and it will be interesting to see how they cope with the absence of the shooting guard.
#2 Is Jordan Nwora the wild card of the Milwaukee Bucks season?
The Milwaukee Bucks were thrilled with an exciting opening night key contribution from their young small forward, J, who proved his credentials resoundingly on the night.
The 23-year-old had performed excellently during the summer league and preseason, turning into the go-to man for the Bucks in the absence of some of its star names, and he continued his hot form this season, stepping off the bench to announce himself.
Nwora scored 15 points off the bench, showcasing his long-range shooting skills, as he finished with 3-of-6 from range. He was a breath of fresh air for the Milwaukee Bucks, his shooting drawing out the Nets and spacing the floor for the likes of Antetokounmpo to power his runs into the paint.
His excellent performances have led many to believe this season to be the stepping stone to greatness for the 2020 NBA draft's 45th overall pick. The Nigerian should prove very efficient for the Bucks this season, either from the bench or as a starter.
#3 Will the Milwaukee Bucks defend their NBA championship title?
If opening night was any indication of things to come, then the Milwaukee Bucks certainly look in place to shut down their critics and defend their title. Playing against the heavily fancied Kevin Durant-led Nets, who famously almost knocked them out of the playoffs last season, they showed no signs of fear or being under pressure.
The offseason loss of Bryn Forbes and PJ Tucker also didn't seem to be much of a problem, as the Milwaukee Bucks excelled in their defensive structure, limiting Durant's offensive prowess in the early stages of the match, as James Harden also struggled to gain his footing for much of the matchup.
The bulk of its stars also seemed to be up for the challenge, including Antetokounmpo, who registered an additional 14 rebounds and 7 assists to go with his points and seemed poised for another NBA MVP run. The bench did not put a foot wrong either, adding depth to their game that was sorely lacking from their opponents.
The question now is as to whether they can play like this all season, barring injuries and whatnot. If they can, then it should only be a matter of time before ring number two for the 2021 NBA Finals MVP and his crew of champions.