On Sunday, the Milwaukee Bucks started their preseason journey. They were up against the Detroit Pistons. The game started well for Milwaukee with Damian Lillard taking charge of their offense. Milwaukee was cruising up until late into the second quarter when starting shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. was screened by Detroit’s Jalen Duren. The Bucks struggled in the third and fourth quarters, ultimately falling to the Pistons 120-87.

During the play, Gary Trent Jr. went down immediately after being screened by Detroit’s Jalen Duren, but the ball remained in play. Once the play ended, Bucks coach Doc Rivers called for a timeout, and Trent got up, clutching his elbow in visible pain. He headed to the locker room with one arm supporting the injured elbow. Later, the Milwaukee Bucks announced via press release and on their official Twitter account, “Gary Trent Jr. (left elbow hyperextension) will not return to tonight’s game,” confirming the hyperextension caused by the screen.

Gary Trent Jr.’s night was cut short to just 13 minutes of game time. The shooting guard scored 5 points and 1 rebound. He could not complete the game and there is still not much news about the severity of the injury. We’ll have to see if will he be able to compete in the other preseason games or not. If he misses a week or two it would still mean he can return before the Bucks’ first game of the regular season.

All of this was mostly caused by the disruption caused by the injury to Gary towards the end of the second quarter. The Bucks scored 58 points in the first two quarters and only 29 in the final two. This speaks volumes for their performance on the night. They will want to pick up the positives from this defeat and move on. Let’s look at how the game went down.

Why did the Bucks lose? Taking a closer look

The game didn’t end in the Bucks’ favor. Initially, they got off to a strong start, racking up 39 points in the first quarter and leading 39-28. However, the second quarter saw a drop in scoring, and after Gary’s injury, they fell behind 58-60. Despite this setback, the Bucks remained competitive, finishing the third quarter with a score of 91-79.

During the fourth quarter, the game was over.  The Bucks performed way below anyone’s expectations and netted only eight points in the fourth. Losing the game 120-87. However, the major factor adding to the loss is that most of the starters were rested, including their main man Giannis. Additionally, a lot of changes happened throughout the game.

In the fourth quarter, the Bucks’ younger players took the court, which may explain their struggles. Head coach Doc Rivers was asked about what he expects out of his younger players. “So, the key for them is how do they play with stars? Because they’re gonna be role players on this team. And so, can they play well under those circumstances.” Overall, he wants his young players to be able to complement the stars of the side such as Lillard and Giannis.

The Bucks should now concentrate on the challenges ahead. With just the preseason underway, their next matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers looms, where they will face LeBron and his team. It will be interesting to see how they perform against the Lakers and whether Doc Rivers chooses to play some of his starters, particularly Giannis. Additionally, Gary Trent Jr.’s fitness will be a key point to monitor.