Defending champs Milwaukee Bucks start season at 7-8.

[Honor Boost]

Very slow start for a defending champion by being under .500 after 15 games

[dankok8]

I didn't realize it before but they said during the game that Middleton missed 8 games due to Covid protocols. As great as Giannis is, Middleton is important for that team.

[AngelEyes]

Several of their best players, Middleton, Holiday, Lopez and Divencenzo have missed quite a few games to start the season. Giannis also missed a game which the Bucks ultimately lost. Kind of odd you decided to not include any context which might explain their underwhelming record thus far.

[k0kakw0rld]

Meh...No Middleton, No Brook Lopez

No PJ Tucker who is in Miami right now.

[Blazers32]

Lakers are more in the news with their record.

[Axe]

The wizards, meanwhile, are enjoying their season so far with only a few losses lmao.

[ImKobe]

4 of their 8 key players have missed 5+ games so far this season with Lopez only playing in 1 game. PJ was a big loss for this team defensively and DiVincenzo has yet to return as well. Just a case of a team being decimated by injuries to start a season. They'll be contenders if healthy in the POs.

[Jasper]

At any given time they have had all 5 starters out because of tweaks or serious injuries.
Most notable : Lopez played one game / Donte has never played / Jrue several games / Middleton cvd19
They have been playing new recruits as well as their 2nd stringers. (Even Portis has been out several games)
30 games into it ... we will see what direct they are headed ... but Giannis and Chris have stated they need to start string some wins together to get momentum.

[Jasper]

The wizards, meanwhile, are enjoying their season so far with only a few losses lmao.

looked terrible last night ... if pope and Kuz dont have a normal game , they look sickly

[pandiani17]

4 of their 8 key players have missed 5+ games so far this season with Lopez only playing in 1 game. PJ was a big loss for this team defensively and DiVincenzo has yet to return as well. Just a case of a team being decimated by injuries to start a season. They'll be contenders if healthy in the POs.

This. Champion teams of the past have had slow starts in the past only to get in shape in the last few months of the season and kill it in the playoffs. The Rockets in 94-95 or the Lakers in 2000-01 come to mind. No doubt the Bucks will be a contender in March and April.