The Milwaukee Bucks are playing putrid basketball at the wrong time.
After losing to the Knicks on Sunday, the Bucks have now lost four straight games and six of their last seven. They were favored in each of the last four games.
Milwaukee is still second in the Eastern Conference, but with three games remaining, it only has a 1.5-game lead on the 5-seed and could find itself without home court in the first round of the playoffs.
The losing streak has been of historic proportions. The Bucks were favored by double digits in the first three games of the losing streak. After they lost to the Raptors, Grizzlies and Wizards, it marked the first time an NBA team had lost three straight games as double-digit favorites in the last 30 years (as far as the data goes back).
The buck doesn't stop there, as the fourth straight loss at the hands of the Knicks also made history. It was the latest in a season a team lost four straight games outright as a favorite since the Lakers did it in 2011.
Things have not been good in cheese land since Doc Rivers took over as the head coach Jan. 26. The Bucks were 31-14 and just four games back of the Celtics when Rivers was hired. Since then, the Bucks are 15-17. Luckily, they are still second in the East.
It could just be growing pains, but Milwaukee's play of late shouldn't give Bucks fans or backers much confidence heading into the postseason. Rivers does not have much time to right the ship.
