On January 20, 2018 the Milwaukee Bucks endured another embarrassing defeat, this time on the road, against the Philadelphia 76ers 94-116. Superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t play that game, but the team was out-hustled, out-played and out-coached. The team had now lost four of their previous five (23-22 overall). Underachieving and seemingly unable to string together any stretch of quality play, the team looked aimless and uninspired.
The team that looked ready to take the next step after a competitive playoff series against Toronto wasn’t showing up. The team that opened the season with a win in Boston had curled into a shell.