Final
Bucks-Nets Preview
Nov 2, 2015 - 5:31 AM Jason Kidd's second season in Milwaukee hasn't begun as planned, though his former team is experiencing its share of early problems as well.Off to their worst start in 39 years, the Bucks visit the Barclays Center on Monday for a matchup between 0-3 teams coming off playoff appearances.
After orchestrating an abrupt exit following one season as the Nets' coach to take over a Milwaukee franchise that won a league-low 15 games in 2013-14, Kidd earned NBA Coach of the Year consideration by guiding the rebuilding Bucks to a 41-41 record and a surprise No. 6 seed in last season's Eastern Conference.
The follow-up hasn't gotten underway nearly as smoothly, with the Bucks losing their first three games for the first time since an 0-5 beginning in 1976-77. Milwaukee had the longest streak in NBA history without starting 0-3 end with a 106-87 defeat at Toronto in Sunday's road opener.
Just as Kidd's emphasis on sound defense triggered last season's turnaround, a lack of efficiency in that area may be most to blame for the Bucks' current struggles. Milwaukee has allowed an average of 115.3 points and opponents are shooting 46.4 percent from 3-point range.
The Bucks finished fifth in field goal percentage defense (.437) while yielding 97.4 points per game last season.
Injuries have played a part in the slow start as well. Jabari Parker is still nearing a return from December's torn ACL, O.J. Mayo also has yet to play due to a strained hamstring and John Henson, the team's best interior defender, will miss a third straight game with a sore Achilles.
Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out Wednesday's 122-97 season-opening loss to New York serving a one-game suspension but has totaled 47 points and 18 rebounds since returning.
Brooklyn slipped from 44 wins and a conference semifinals appearance under Kidd to 38 in Lionel Hollins' debut, and seems headed to a further drop-off in what's expected to be a transitional year intended to save cap space for a run at the anticipated 2016 free agent class.
The Nets' main issues during their first 0-3 start since they lost their first 18 games in 2009-10 have come on offense. They're averaging a mere 88.7 points while shooting a league-worst 21.1 percent (8 for 38) on 3-point attempts.
''I think everybody is pretty frustrated at this point,'' said Joe Johnson, whose 7.7 points per game is nearly 10 under his career average. "But we have to keep working. Just keep going hard on both ends of the floor. It'll come together.''
Bojan Bogdanovic did have an encouraging performance in Saturday's 101-91 loss at Memphis, going 3 for 3 on 3s in a 19-point effort. Johnson finished with 11 points after being held to two on 1-of-7 shooting in Friday's 102-75 defeat to San Antonio.
Brook Lopez averaged 20.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in Brooklyn's four 2014-15 meetings with Milwaukee, of which the Bucks won three including a 122-118 triple-overtime verdict in Kidd's return to the Barclays Center on Nov. 19. Lopez had 32 points and 18 rebounds in a 129-127 Nets' victory, also in triple-overtime, in Brooklyn on March 20.
- MILWAUKEE: 103
BROOKLYN: 96
Final
Nov 2 10:04 PM - End of 4th Quarter.
Nov 2 10:02 PM - End of 3rd Quarter.
Nov 2 9:22 PM - MILWAUKEE: 80
BROOKLYN: 80
End of 3rd
Nov 2 9:22 PM - MILWAUKEE: 59
BROOKLYN: 48
Halftime
Nov 2 8:39 PM - End of 1st Half.
Nov 2 8:39 PM - MILWAUKEE: 59
BROOKLYN: 48
Halftime
Nov 2 8:39 PM - End of 1st Quarter.
Nov 2 8:07 PM - MILWAUKEE: 33
BROOKLYN: 33
End of 1st
Nov 2 8:07 PM - Greg Monroe vs. Brook Lopez (Thaddeus Young gains possession)
Nov 2 7:41 PM - MILWAUKEE: 0
BROOKLYN: 0
1st Quarter - 12:00
Nov 2 7:41 PM
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