The Milwaukee Bucks fell to 1-4 after the Memphis Grizzlies shut them out 122-99 on Thursday night, with point guard Ja Morant posting a double-double of 26 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds.

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo did everything he could, scoring 37 points on 17-of-22 shooting to go along with 11 rebounds. The rest of the Bucks largely struggled, especially Damian Lillard, who scored four points on 1-of-12 shooting. Lillard and fellow starters Gary Trent Jr. and Taurean Prince made just 1 of 19 three-pointers.

Memphis outscored Milwaukee all night long. Examples include the rebounding differential (56-38) and a 40-point first quarter. Memphis led by as many as 31 en route to the 23-point win.

The 2024-2025 season is off to a nightmarish start for the Bucks, with victory in the NBA Finals three seasons ago feeling light years away. Milwaukee opened the year with a 124-109 victory over a shorthanded Philadelphia 76ers team missing Joel Embiid and Paul George, but the Bucks have since lost four straight by an average of 14.5 points. Every game has been a double-digit loss, and the Bucks have allowed 122.25 points per game during that span.

Milwaukee will be without three-time All-Star Khris Middleton, who is recovering from surgery on both ankles. It’s still hard to see light at the end of the tunnel for a team that had championship aspirations a year ago when it brought Lillard on board.

Fans are especially angry with head coach Doc Rivers, who has not done well since taking over the team midseason last year.

Milwaukee fired first-year head coach Adrian Griffin despite a 30-13 start. Including the playoffs, Rivers in place of Griffin is 20-27 as head coach of the Bucks, and that’s a record that’s hard to fathom given Milwaukee’s recent success coupled with the fact that the team has a of the NBA’s elite talents in Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP.