The Milwaukee Bucks came into Gainbridge Fieldhouse hoping to get a victory against the Indiana Pacers without their star point guard, Damian Lillard. While Lillard seems likely to be available at some point in the series, he was unavailable for Game 1.
Due to Lillard’s absence, the Bucks were absolutely in need of bench production and for the rest of the starting lineup to step up. Giannis Antetokounmpo always seems to show up in big moments for his team, but it would fall on players like Brook Lopez, Gary Trent Jr., Kyle Kuzma, AJ Green, and Kevin Porter Jr. to be formidable options for the team.
Trent, Porter, and Green were serviceable during Game 1, with all three scoring in double figures. Antetokounmpo finished with 36 points and 12 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to make a push to cut into the Pacers’ lead. The Pacers would win Game 1 with a resounding 117-98 victory.
NBA Fans React to Kyle Kuzma’s Horrible Game 1 Outing
While a few of the bench players on the Bucks contributed, Antetokounmpo didn’t get much from his starting lineup, which could be a sign of things to come as Lillard works his way back. Taurean Prince and Ryan Rollins are not starter-worthy at this time, and having them on the floor in a playoff game is a risk.
Another player who currently starts for the Bucks but hasn’t been great in his role recently is Kuzma, who was traded to the Bucks from the Washington Wizards, with many expecting him to contribute to their goal of winning a championship.
Unfortunately, Kuzma went missing in Game 1, finishing with zero points, zero rebounds, and zero assists in 22 minutes. Fans took to X to criticize Kuzma’s awful performance, holding nothing back.
“Dumbest trade ever and everyone knew it besides the organization,” said one fan.
Dumbest trade ever and everyone knew it besides the organization 🤦♂️
— GiannisMVP (@DeepBallDK)
“this where the Bucks regret the Middleton trade,” claimed another user on X.
“Generational performance,” said the Real App’s X account, accompanied with an image of his full stat line.
Generational performance pic.twitter.com/2ULimQgbo8
— Real Sports (@realapp_)
“This is worse than Tony Snell lowkey,” said one fan.
“Kyle Kuzma vs Indiana,” said another fan, using the infamous Snell graphic to describe Kuzma’s performance.
Kyle Kuzma vs Indiana pic.twitter.com/XLSWDBA9F6
— bob truck (@TruckBon)
Kuzma living out the infamous Snell meme is honestly shocking, considering his skill set. Whether or not Kuzma can bounce back remains to be seen, but the bright side is that it really couldn’t get any worse, right?
Will the Bucks Bounce Back in Game 2?
Despite the horrible performance by Kuzma in Game 1, there’s always the opportunity for the Bucks to bounce back in Game 2. Antetokounmpo gave his all in the Game 1 performance, but it wasn’t enough to will them to a win.
If head coach Doc Rivers decides to keep Rollins and Prince in the starting lineup, they need to produce more. Both Prince and Rollins have to step it up to assist Antetokounmpo in those moments where he needs help.
Kuzma has to have a better Game 2, or else he could end up being benched before the series is over. Will Kuzma and the Bucks find a way to improve what they need to and get a win over the Pacers? There’s no way to tell, but Kuzma certainly can’t have a worse performance than a zero in everything all across the board, right?