5 consecutive losses! Giannis Antetokounmpo is absent, Yang Hansen has 0 points, 0 rebounds and 0 assists. In this battle, I completely see three realities.

Editor|Old Kankanqiu

On November 25, the NBA 2025-26 season ushered in the league's focus battle. The Milwaukee Bucks sat at home and faced the back-to-back Portland Trail Blazers. What worries everyone is that after the Bucks bought out Lillard this summer, although the salary was approved to be paid in installments, it still occupies a salary space for a main roster spot. After the team added players such as Turner and Cole Anthony, it still lacks firepower. The team only has a record of 8 wins and 9 losses, suffering 4 consecutive losses and ranking 11th in the Eastern Conference. Antetokounmpo also fell into a wave of injuries due to excessive consumption due to single-core leadership.

In contrast, the Trail Blazers have also started high and gone low this season. Although the coach's small lineup and fast play have worked well and produced unexpected results at the beginning of the season, the blind speed-up has caused players to be overloaded. Recently, injuries have also begun to occur frequently. The record has reached 7 wins and 10 losses, ranking ninth in the Western Conference. As for the No. 16 pick that attracts the most attention from Chinese fans, Yang Hansen's performance has improved recently after the transition to the Development League, but the advantages and disadvantages are still obvious. The positioning of this Blazers and Yang Hansen are indeed different. One is fast and the other is slow. They really don't match.

Before the game, the US media ESPN predicted this game. The Bucks have a winning rate of 57.1%, while the Trail Blazers have a winning rate of 42.9%, which is a slight disadvantage.

In terms of the starting lineup, for the Bucks, Antetokounmpo is absent due to injury, and the latest starting five is: Rollins, AJ Green, Kuzma, Sims, and Turner; for the Trail Blazers, Lowe is back, and the starting lineup is: Denis Avdija, Sidi Sissoko, Toumani Kamara, Jerami Grant, Donovan Klingen.

At the beginning of the first quarter, Klingen sent Turner a brutal nail-biting block at the beginning, and then counterattacked and made a wide-open three-pointer. The Trail Blazers led the Bucks 7-0 at the beginning. Grant and Avdija hit consecutive three-pointers, and the starting four all hit three-pointers respectively. The Trail Blazers opened the point difference to 9 points. Turner caught the ball at the top of the arc and his three-pointer fell, stopping the bleeding in time. Grant made an emergency stop and hit a three-pointer, and then scored 9 consecutive free throws, bringing the point difference to 12 points. Portis hit consecutive turnaround jumpers, Andre Jackson Jr. also made an emergency three-pointer, and the Bucks caught up to 5 points. Murray jumped high and dunked on a tip-in, and Gary Trent Jr. immediately responded with a three-pointer. At the end of the first quarter, the Bucks trailed the Trail Blazers by 5 points, 27-32.

In the first quarter of the game, Grant played 9 minutes and scored 13 points and 1 rebound on 3 of 6 shots.

Back in the second quarter, Portis hit three consecutive three-pointers and scored 15 points. The Bucks came back from 12 points behind to overtake the score and stop the Trail Blazers. Afdiari made a sudden outside shot and scored 8 points in a row. Grant once again made consecutive fouls and went to the free throw line. The Trail Blazers responded with an 11-2 wave and regained the lead to 8 points. Portis caught the ball from the outside and hit a three-pointer. Currently, he has scored 20 points on 4 of 5 three-pointers. Grant immediately responded with a three-pointer and scored 22 points. Love made a fast-break fingertip flip layup, and Sissoko hit a three-point jumper. At halftime, the Trail Blazers led the Bucks by 12 points 65-53.

Halftime data, for the Trail Blazers, Yang Hansen did not get a chance to play and was abandoned; Klingen played 13 minutes, scored 4 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block on 1 of 3 shots; Grant played 16 minutes, scored 22 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist on 4 of 11 shots; Avdija played 17 minutes, scored 15 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists on 5 of 8 shots and 4 of 5 three-pointers.

For the Bucks, Portis made 8 of 11 shots in 12 minutes and scored 20 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.

Change sides to fight again. AJ Green and Kuzma scored consecutive three-pointers. Avdija and Kamara immediately responded with three-pointers. Grant hit consecutive jump shots. Lowe faced the big block and sent his fourth block. Then he succeeded in an alley-oop dunk. The Trail Blazers led to 14 points. Cole Anthony made consecutive breakthroughs and stopped the bleeding in time. Caleb Love made a three-pointer from the corner. Grant made consecutive fouls and went to the free throw line. After three quarters, the Trail Blazers led the Bucks by 18 points 92-74.

In the decisive battle in the fourth quarter, Grant scored 33 points with a reverse layup, Klingen made another three-pointer, Love made a sudden outside shot and scored 5 points in a row, and the Trail Blazers opened the point difference to 33 points. Trent first scored 2+1 on a fast break, and then made a three-pointer from the corner. The Bucks blasted a 16-1 wave in 3 minutes to catch up to 18 points, but unfortunately there was not enough time. Yang Hansen came on as a substitute with 2 minutes left in the final quarter. There was no suspense in the game. In the end, the Trail Blazers easily defeated the Bucks 115-103, giving their opponents a 5-game losing streak!

Full game statistics, for the Trail Blazers, Yang Hansen played 2 minutes and 29 seconds, 0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, and only one foul; Klingen scored 2 of 4 three-pointers and scored 14 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block; Grant scored 35 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists; Avdija scored 22 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists.

For the Bucks, Kuzma scored 15 points and 6 rebounds; Portis scored 22 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists.

In this battle, I saw three realities clearly. First, without Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have completely become a weak team. Antetokounmpo's injuries are really exhausting. If this continues, it is estimated that he will not be far away; second, the Trail Blazers are indeed very dominant when playing fast, but it also consumes a lot of players. Can this tactic really last a season? Questionable! Third, Yang Hansen's performance still cannot win the favor of the head coach. Although he is a rookie, he still has to make highlights in the limited playing time in order to get more time, otherwise he will only be marginalized a little bit!