Warriors vs. Bucks: Score, Highlights and Reaction from 2015-16 Regular Season
One of the greatest winning streaks the NBA has ever seen is officially over.
Coming off a grueling double-overtime win over the Boston Celtics on Friday night, the Golden State Warriors dropped their first game of the season, 108-95, against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday evening at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, falling to 24-1 on the year.
The Bucks also snapped the Warriors' 28-game winning streak dating back to last season. It was the second-longest winning streak in NBA history, according to GSWStats on Twitter.
After trailing by as many as 13 points in the third quarter, the Warriors closed the gap to three entering the final frame, but the Bucks had too much pep in their step on both ends for the defending champions to mount a complete comeback.
Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding offered a concise overview of the historic night:
Milwaukee's length at all five positions bothered the Warriors shooters all night, and it was evident in the box score and beyond, according to Synergy Sports:
Golden State shot just 40.9 percent from the field and 23.1 percent from three-point range as Curry led the way with 28 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Klay Thompson scored 12 points in his return from a one-game absence after suffering a sprained ankle against Indiana on Wednesday, and Draymond Green posted another double-double with 24 points and 11 boards.
Greg Monroe notched his fourth 20-10 game of the season with 28 points and 11 rebounds, while Giannis Antetokounmpo collected 11 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists to finish with his first career triple-double. As a team, the Bucks shot 49.4 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from three.
The Cauldron's Nate Duncan praised Monroe's play in Milwaukee's biggest win of the season:
The first half was a slog for the Warriors in every way, and Milwaukee's energized demeanor compounded Golden State's issues.
Although Curry dropped 17 points to lead all first-half scorers, the Warriors shot 37.5 percent from the field and 15.4 percent from three over the first 24 minutes. Conversely, the Bucks drilled 52.2 percent of their early looks—including six of nine from three—to take an 11-point lead entering the break.
Fresh off Friday's taxing win against the Celtics, the Warriors looked gassed, as NBA.com's John Schuhmann noted:
According to GSWStats, Saturday's halftime deficit was the second-largest of the season for the Warriors, trailing only their Nov. 19 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Bucks—who entered the night with the league's fifth-least-efficient defense, per NBA.com—also deserved credit for clamping down on the Warriors' vaunted attack early on.
ESPN.com's Ethan Strauss noted one component of the Bucks' approach that indicated how engaged they were:
While the Warriors had flashes of brilliance throughout the second half, they didn't have the energy on either end of the floor to outlast a Bucks team that was bursting with confidence from start to finish.
The good news for Golden State? It will get another crack at the Bucks in just six days, when the two sides clash at Oracle Arena. And if the Warriors' track record of dominance at home is any indication, they'll likely come out locked in and ready to go when the Bucks hit the hardwood in the Bay Area.
Post-Game Reaction
According to NBA on ESPN, Saturday’s result marked the continuation of a ridiculous trend:
ESPN.com’s Arash Markazi noted the Warriors’ loss still has them on pace to contend for the greatest single-season performance of all-time:
Elsewhere, NBA TV relayed video of its conversation with Monroe following the win:
Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton was predictably displeased with the outcome, per Strauss:
But Green took a different approach to the loss, according to Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle:
"We missed shots," Thompson said, per the Bay Area News Group's Diamond Leung. "They didn't shut us down. No one shuts us down."
