NBA

Bucks vs. Spurs Player Ratings: Thumbs all the way down

ballervisions 2026年1月16日

When things looked like they couldn’t be worse for the Milwaukee Bucks, they were completely disappointed by the San Antonio Spurs last night. After winning six of nine, the Bucks have now dropped three in a row and sit at 17-24 on the season, two games behind the 10th-place Atlanta Hawks. Read our full recap of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap of the Bucks+ podcast, Money in Six Minutes, below.

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Player Grades

Giannis Antetokounmpo

22 minutes, 21 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 7/12 FG, 1/1 3PT, 6/9 FT, -31

Giannis looked to enjoy another great game against Victor Wembanyama in his first game (more on that later), but with his only help coming from an excited Kyle Kuzma, he also succumbed to the Spurs’ pressure defense and did nothing after that. He was leading the Buckeyes but it didn’t matter at all.

Grade: D

Kevin Porter Jr.

23 minutes, 0 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 0/9 FG, 0/4 3PT, -35

I’ve been a big Porter supporter here, but tonight I can’t find a silver lining. It was the kind of game that made you rethink his role on the Bucks. He was that badly.

Grade: F

Ryan Rollins

26 minutes, 6 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, , 1 block, 2/8 FG, 1/5 3PT, 1/2 FT, -18

Rollins crashed the boards and got assists. He even got up to chase down the amazing block. But he couldn’t penetrate the Spurs’ defense and, for the fifth time in six games, shot less than 37% from the field (25% on the night and 31% over the period).

Grade: D-

Myles Turner

23 minutes, 5 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2/7 FG, 1/5 3PT, -23

Turner was also invisible, offering little resistance to penetration and hovering around the three-point line on offense. Even then, though, he was terrible, trying a few times out of five. Difference between Turner and Luke Kornet—Spurs’ backup center—was tough, and not in the best shape for the Bucks center, who often looked shy and lost.

Distance: F

AJ Green

15 minutes, 6 points, 1 assist, 2/4 FG, 2/4 3PT, -25

You he can they argue that Green has been hampered by injuries that have kept him off the court, limiting him to just 15 minutes of action. But defending without fouling is part of being a productive player and last night Green was back to his old ways. The fact that he recorded a -25 plus/minus in those 15 minutes of work is also telling.

Grade: F

Kyle Kuzma

22 minutes, 18 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 6/17 FG, 5/13 3PT, 1/1 FT, -5

Kuzma came out firing, hitting two of his first three shots—and five in the first half alone—trying to keep the Bucks going. It didn’t happen and by the time his night was over he had just repented on 6/17 from the field. Overall, he was physical and made a few good passes, but when Kuz is your leading shooter, it’s usually a sign of bad times.

Distance: D

Bobby Portis

21 minutes, 13 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 5/8 FG, 3/5 3PT, 1/1 FT, -15

Close game or blowout, Portis will want to score and he did very well, adding a dozen rebounds to his baker’s point total in another box-score-producing night for the Bucks’ sixth man. On offense, he was one of the few Buccaneers he didn’t looking annoyed by the presence of the Black. Of course, by combining the worst/off the bench, it’s not like you made a great contribution.

Distance: D

Gary Trent Jr.

14 minutes, 3 points, 1 assist, 1/5 FG, 1/5 3PT, -9

Last year’s playoff performance now feels like a distant dream, as Trent has scored in single digits for the fifth straight game (and 10 of the last 11). To paraphrase our own Jack Trehearne, whatever deal Horst had made with Trent in the off-season had to be broken.

Distance: F

Gary Harris

21 minutes, 3 points, 2 rebounds, 1/1 FG, 1/1 3PT, -4

Gary Harris is just a player, having an unexpectedly strong season for the Bucks. And it’s almost always on defense where he shines—at least twice in the first half alone he blew things up for Spurs. But when he plays this much for the Buckeyes, maybe it’s time to start expecting more—or give those minutes to someone who might be able to win you a game rather than just tighten it up.

Grade: D

Doc Rivers

What do you say? For the second game in a row, the Bucks scored more than 30 points. Granted, Rivers isn’t one to hit the bricks or drop threes and layups, but the bull stops with him—and the Bucks never he started with him. If it wasn’t time before, it is now.

Grade: F (which means “Fire”. As it is it needs to be fired. Now. Get it?!).

It’s garbage time: Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Cole Anthony, Amir Coffey, Andre Jackson Jr., Jericho Sims, Pete Nance.

Does not apply: Taurean Prince, Alex Antetokounmpo.

Bonus Bucks Pieces

Giannis gets it up at Wemby and last night was no different—at least to begin with. He had 14 of the Bucks’ first 17 points, and drew two fouls on the Spurs’ unicorn, sending him to the medical room with donuts and one very sore knee.
Unfortunately, the rest of the Bucks couldn’t follow Giannis’ lead, combining measly three points on 1/14 shooting until Kuzma’s three with more than two minutes left in the first quarter.
The Bucks just couldn’t stop the Spurs from getting to the line in the first half, letting it go 23 efforts (and only gain 10 of them). So much for that venerable paint protection.
Kuzma’s five goals in the first half tied his own the game-the highest score for the Bucks, the number he reached twice last season.
At 8:44 of the third quarter, Giannis’ first game dominance was a distant memory. Clinging to 16 points, he could do nothing but watch as Wemby hit his fourth three-pointer to lead the Spurs’ first quarter 15-6. Moments later, instead of taking Green down, Wemby decided that his fifth would be of the devastating kind. He really is is something a stranger.
The Spurs won the third quarter 40-16. Yes, you read that correctly. When the quarter ended, the Buckeyes were down by 37 points, 106-69. You are studying that well again.
Aside from Giannis, the Bucks’ top three players—Turner, Rollins, and KPJ—combined to shoot just 4/24 from the field.
Want more? While Rollins and KPJ combined for just six points on 2/17 shooting, their closest rivals—Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox—combined for 37 points on 12/19 shooting.
According to Milwaukee Bucks Radio Network analyst and Locked on Bucks host Justin Garcia, the Bucks’ 54-point losing streak over the past two games is the largest two-game losing streak in franchise history. Yes.
Bonus crossword: In 1. Inferno MD (4, 3).

After a three-day break, the Bucks head to Atlanta to face the Hawks where things are going. be to get better, right? You can catch all the action on Peacock—tip-off is 12:00 pm Central.