Beat Notes: A Lopsided Loss, an Ankle on the Mend, a…

By the Bucks Nightly Desk · Thursday, October 15

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Brew Hoop both chronicled Wednesday's 125-104 loss to Chicago, from early foul trouble to a shooting night the outlets called rough. Behind the Buck Pass flagged two threads worth tracking: progress for Nate Ament toward a return, and a coach's challenge to Jaquez on defense.

Bucks Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Before tipoff

Before Wednesday's game, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Jim Owczarski reported the Bucks would rest eight veterans against Chicago, opening extended minutes for rookies and reserves. That count matches the day-to-day rest tags already covering Porter Jr., Turner, Trent Jr., Jaquez, Green, Rollins, Herro and Kuzma, all pointing to Friday's trip to Indiana as a possible return. Burries, by contrast, had just been cleared off his own day-to-day tag.

Through three quarters

Owczarski's running account matched the final score. Jakucionis picked up two fouls within his first three minutes in his home debut and was back on the bench by the second quarter; he finished with 18 points on 11 free-throw attempts after the whistle changed his night. The Journal Sentinel also logged a flagrant foul on Cormac Ryan and Jenkins' frustration with the transition defense as Chicago's lead swelled past 30.

This week

Behind the Buck Pass's Dalton Sell reported Ament is trending toward the lineup as the regular season approaches. That lines up with Milwaukee's own injury report: Ament, sidelined by a problem in his left ankle, carries the same Friday return estimate already attached to the eight teammates who sat out Wednesday's loss.

Looking ahead

Sell also reported Jenkins is pushing Jaquez to sharpen his defense, a pointed ask for a player the coaching staff has otherwise built the wing rotation around. Jaquez sat out Wednesday's loss on a rest tag, so that challenge has not yet shown up on the floor. Its first test should come once he returns, with the Indiana trip the earliest chance.

Next Milwaukee visits the Pacers in Indianapolis on Friday, October 16; the injury report that day will show whether Ament, Jaquez and the rest of Wednesday's rest group are back on the floor.

Is Nate Ament close to returning for the Bucks?

He is day-to-day with a problem in his left ankle, and Behind the Buck Pass reports he is trending toward the regular-season opener.

What did the Bucks' beat writers say about the loss to Chicago?

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Jim Owczarski detailed early foul trouble for Jakucionis, a flagrant foul on Cormac Ryan, and Jenkins' frustration with the transition defense as the Bulls pulled away 125-104.