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Jazz suffer third consecutive loss, 117-100 at Milwaukee

Utah Jazz's Donovan Mitchell, left, attempts to shoot while being defended by Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee • In the NBA, losses are almost never on a singular player or unit. It would be disingenuous to solely blame the starting lineup of the Utah Jazz for Saturday’s 117-100 loss to the Bucks.

At the same time, having lost three consecutive games — the last two in emphatic fashion — it’s difficult to look at the current starting group and not think that it has to begin playing better if the Jazz want to be successful.

And the starting five know it.

“This is on us,” Jazz shooting guard Donovan Mitchell said. “The way we started the game … it was terrible. We came out flat. We gave up transition points that we never give up. This just didn’t look like us. We can’t wait until we get down by 20 before we start to attack.”

Milwaukee led the Jazz for all but two possessions. There was one lead change and the score was never tied. Utah crept within 44-42 near the end of the first half and within 95-86 deep into the fourth quarter, but realistically the game was seldom close.

Much can happen in 48 minutes. Yet, Saturday boils down to the start of each half. Jazz forward Derrick Favors hit a 3-pointer to give Utah a 3-0 lead to begin the game before the Bucks scored the next eight points, surging to a 22-8 lead as 16,675 at The Bradley Center became louder.

The second half was more of the same. Beginning the third quarter ahead 51-42, the Bucks scored nine of the first 12 points, and opened a 60-45 lead. At its apex, Milwaukee’s lead was as much as 22 points. Utah’s second unit fought back, but could never get closer than nine points.

To add insult, Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo dunked on Jazz center Rudy Gobert with 20 seconds remaining, putting his team up 117-98 and the Jazz playing out the string.

Antetokounmpo let out a primal scream after the dunk, along with an entire building. It was that kind of night for Utah.

“We just can’t start the game the way we started,” Gobert said. “We dug ourselves a hole in the first quarter, and then we tried to catch them the whole game. We need to start these games with a different mindset. We need to start a little more hungry.”

Much of the focus the past few days has been on Utah’s starting lineup — but in truth, personnel didn’t matter Saturday night. The Jazz didn’t play with energy, and were pushed around by a Milwaukee defense that showed much more aggressive than on Nov. 25, when Utah hit 18 3-pointers and routed the Bucks 121-108 at Vivint Smart Home Arena.

“It felt like they took that last loss personally,” Mitchell said.

Not much went wrong for the Jazz that night a few weeks ago, and not much went right for them on Saturday. In the fourth quarter, when the Jazz had the Bucks facing a shot clock violation, Antetokounmpo hit a desperation 3-pointer. And in the first half, Utah suffered yet another injury, losing point guard Raul Neto to concussion-like symptoms.

There was some scattered good news. Gobert scored a season-high 20 points, grabbed nine rebounds and looked more like himself in his third game back from injury. Alec Burks scored 20 points, his fourth game of the season with at least 20 points.

For the most part, however, Saturday night was one to forget for the Jazz, who fall to 13-14 on the season ahead of five consecutive road games — only one of which they will be favored.

“Milwaukee had their way with us early,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. “If we start games like that, it’s very difficult against a good team to come back on the road.”