The Milwaukee Bucks extended their winning run by defeating the Brooklyn Nets 118-104 at the Barclays Center on Tuesday night in New York. In team history, it is the fourth-longest winning streak. It's not just the greatest winning run in the NBA this year; it's also the most victories in a row since Phoenix won 18 straight games in the previous campaign. In the 2019–20 season, the franchise's second-longest winning streak—also 18 games—included a number of the current Bucks key players. Middleton claimed after the team's victory over Phoenix on Sunday that while they are still relishing each victory, they are no longer as intent on the longer stretch of good fortune. Aye, Giannis Antetokounmpo. In addition to the fact that we've never participated in it before, Antetokounmpo said Tuesday night, "We didn't lose a game this month, so it's hard not to be thrilled about it." It's tough. It was probably in 2020. Certainly 2020. As we were a younger squad and had never before been in that situation, it goes without saying that we were overjoyed. Did we ultimately take home a title that year? Never did we. We won 18 straight games, and I can still tell my children and grandchildren that. It's a fantastic tale. Yet in the end, it's a better narrative if you can develop positive habits from these 15 games. I find it to be excellent. The best. I won't mince words. That doesn't matter, even if it's nice to be a part of a team that has won 15 straight games.
What would it signify in the long run if copying so many games in a row doesn't mean anything right now? It's wonderful to be on a winning streak like this, Middleton said after the Nets victory. "Winning 15 straight games with so many people in and out of the lineup, different guys stepping up in various phases of the game, and finishing the game, it's been big." It only demonstrates what a strong team we have. In other words, when you consider the larger picture, you consider the players on our squad. In other words, when you consider the larger picture, you consider the players on our squad. Whatever starting lineup we choose has a chance to succeed. So I believe it gives us confidence moving ahead. "If some lines don't work, we can try a new technique—a different lineup, a different style of basketball—and we can find out a way to win and match up with most of the teams out here. Pat Connaughton concurred, pointing out that in order to defeat the Nets, the club had to come back from several double-digit deficits. Focusing on the next 24 minutes was a major theme of the halftime speech." Okay, let's keep the streak going, but that wasn't it. It was, "What's going on with this game?" How can we win every game as much as possible? said Connaughton.