One Game, Four Points: Lillard’s Struggles in Memphis Might Drive Giannis Out of Milwaukee

The Milwaukee Bucks’ early-season woes reached a new low with their fourth straight loss, a 99-122 thrashing at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies. From the opening minutes, it was clear the Bucks were outmatched; they fell behind by 16 points after the first quarter and trailed by 22 at halftime. At one point in the fourth quarter, Milwaukee found themselves down by as many as 31 points, and the game ended with Memphis cruising to a comfortable win. Now, with only one victory in their first five games and sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, the Bucks look alarmingly fragile—and potentially in trouble of losing their franchise cornerstone, Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Antetokounmpo played his part, as he has consistently this season. He scored 37 points on an efficient 17-for-22 from the field, also grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing out four assists in 33 minutes. Even with Milwaukee trailing by over 30 points early in the fourth, Giannis played on, adding 13 points to his total in the quarter. Remarkably, his plus-minus was exactly zero, meaning the Bucks lost all 23 points in the 15 minutes he wasn’t on the floor. While Giannis’ individual performance shone through, it wasn’t enough to counter the weaknesses that have plagued Milwaukee’s roster early in the season.

Where Giannis was exceptional, his newly-acquired co-star, Damian Lillard, struggled mightily. In 33 minutes, Lillard went a brutal 1-for-12 from the field, missing all six of his three-point attempts, finishing with only four points, two rebounds, and six assists. He ended the game with a staggering -29 plus-minus. This was a far cry from what Milwaukee had envisioned when they traded for Lillard, who is supposed to complement Giannis’ inside dominance with outside shooting and playmaking.

For a moment, the matchup between Lillard and Ja Morant, Memphis’ star point guard, promised an exciting clash of generations. Instead, it turned into a one-sided affair, with Morant racking up a triple-double of 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists, along with a game-best plus-minus of +29. Morant dominated every facet of the game, while Lillard struggled to find any rhythm, a glaring problem that added insult to Milwaukee’s injury.

But Lillard wasn’t alone in his struggles. The Bucks’ supporting cast continued to fall short. Brook Lopez managed 12 points and three rebounds on 4-for-8 shooting but posted a dismal -35 plus-minus. Other players weren’t any better—Trent shot 4-for-12 for nine points, while Prince and Portis added little, finishing with poor efficiency and plus-minuses worse than -20. Collectively, every starter except Giannis posted a plus-minus worse than -20, and even the team’s sixth man, Bobby Portis, couldn’t turn the tide. This performance underscores a harsh reality for Milwaukee: without Giannis, the team looks rudderless.

The Bucks’ early-season struggles are not only concerning because of the losses but also due to the lack of a clear path forward. Giannis is averaging 30.4 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists with shooting efficiency among the league’s elite—fourth in points per game, ninth in rebounds, with a 65.6% field goal percentage. Yet, Milwaukee’s offense and defense collapse without him. Meanwhile, Lillard, despite a promising start, has yet to provide a consistent secondary threat. He’s currently averaging 23.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists but shooting just 41.3% from the field and a rough 26.7% from beyond the arc.

Lillard’s up-and-down performances are typical; every season, he has stretches of incredible games punctuated by occasional duds. But Milwaukee’s issues stem from deeper, systemic problems that Lillard alone cannot solve. Their third star, Khris Middleton, has yet to return from injury, and even when he’s back, his recent history suggests he may not be the reliable player he once was. Over the past two seasons, Middleton has missed 76 games and played limited minutes even when healthy, with a 26-minute average when he does suit up.

Additionally, Lopez has shown visible signs of aging. His scoring and defensive presence have both diminished, with his shooting percentages plummeting this season—just 38.5% from the field and 29.6% from three-point range. The 35-year-old’s decline limits Milwaukee’s options, leaving Giannis without the defensive support he’s had in the past. Meanwhile, newly acquired Trent has struggled to find his footing, averaging 9.8 points per game on a poor 35.7% shooting from the field and 27.6% from three-point range.

Since Adrian Griffin took over as head coach, the Bucks have gone 18-23, marking a stark contrast to their 30-13 record prior. With Doc Rivers now at the helm, Milwaukee’s fortunes haven’t changed. In fact, after their third consecutive loss, Rivers noted, “You can feel that this team is on the verge of taking off.” That optimism rang hollow as they were promptly blown out by Memphis in the next game.

All these factors add up to a bleak outlook for Giannis, who is now 29 years old and still at the height of his powers. He has expressed loyalty to Milwaukee, but his comments before the season indicated some frustration: “If we don’t win a championship, they’ll probably trade me.” For Giannis, who boasts an MVP resume with two regular-season MVPs, a Finals MVP, and a Defensive Player of the Year award, staying with a floundering team could hinder his legacy. With the chance to cement a top-ten all-time status, Giannis may look to move on if Milwaukee can’t turn things around.

Without a path to immediate improvement, Milwaukee might see the “Greek Freak” force his way out of town, triggering a complete rebuild. Lillard, although still a scoring threat, is past his prime and prone to inconsistency. Middleton’s availability remains a question mark, and Lopez’s regression has left Milwaukee vulnerable. Add to that a lack of promising young talent; Beauchamp’s development seems stalled, while rookies AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith have yet to show any spark. The Bucks’ depth and future prospects look increasingly bleak.

Looking at the current state of the Bucks’ roster, one can understand why Giannis’ “golden quotes” keep surfacing. Milwaukee has gambled its future on Lillard, hoping his scoring could lift them back to contention. However, with every poor performance and blowout loss, it becomes harder to envision Giannis sticking around. If things don’t improve, this season may end with Giannis requesting a trade, Milwaukee entering a rebuild, and the Bucks’ championship window slamming shut.

The message is clear: if Giannis wants to achieve his goal of winning another championship, it may be time to move on from Milwaukee. The Bucks have no promising young stars waiting in the wings, their aging roster lacks consistent support, and their new leadership seems lost. For Giannis, the only option might be to leave while he’s still in his prime, giving him a shot at adding to his legacy and capturing a place among the NBA’s all-time greats.