Image Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Bucks vs Warriors: Three Key Takeaways as Bucks Take Down Warriors Without Giannis Antetokounmpo

With this win, the Bucks improved their record to 4-1 in the ongoing season.

Image Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks handed a stunning 120-110 defeat to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, October 30, despite missing Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks ruled out Antetokounmpo with knee soreness just an hour before the tip-off. While the sudden update in the NBA injury report would have led to the Dubs perceiving it as an easy win, Ryan Rollins, a former Warrior, ruined their plans. Rollins led the Bucks with 32 points, three rebounds, and eight assists, followed by Myles Turner’s 17 points and Cole Anthony’s 16 points.

The Dubs, on the other hand, were led by Stephen Curry’s 27 points, followed by Jonathan Kuminga’s 24 and Jimmy Butler’s 23 points, respectively. As the Bucks improved their seasonal tally to 4-1 following the win, let’s take a look at the three takeaways from the game.

Ryan Rollins Emerges as Bucks’ Hero in Absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo

RYAN ROLLINS JUST COOKED THE WARRIORS:

32 points
8 assists
3 rebounds

No Giannis, no problem. (via @realapp) pic.twitter.com/MepjNi1slM
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 31, 2025

Ryan Rollins emerged as a hero for the Milwaukee Bucks in the absence of their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Rollins dropped 32 points, and grabbed three rebounds, while dishing out eight assists while shooting 13-of-21 from the field and 5-of-7 from the three-point range. Rollins, a former Golden State Warriors’ guard, set the tone early with his poise against the old team and recorded his second straight 25+ point performance. This indicated the potential breakout for the young guard in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee Bucks’ Stifling Defense on Curry Proves Crucial

Milwaukee Bucks’ players including Rollins, Cole Anthony, AJ Green, and Gary Trent Jr. disrupted Stephen Curry and Warriors’ rhythm. They held Curry to 27 points, on 8-of-19 shooting and 4-of-10 threes. Not only this, but the Bucks forced 19 Warriors turnovers while committing only 12. The collective effort neutralized Golden State’s star power and limited their motion offense to prevent them from coming on top at the end of the game.

Bucks’ Bench Depth and Balanced Scoring Overwhelm Warriors

Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the Bucks with a whopping average of 36.3 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game. Needless to say, him getting sidelined just an hour before the tip off would have panicked the Bucks. However, in his absence, players like Rollins stepped up and had double-digit contributions from all the starters. Not only this, but Taurean Prince, Bobby Portis, and Cole Anthony also finished in double-digit scores. This overall contribution overwhelmed the seemingly unprepared Warriors who were expecting contribution from star players like the previous season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Golden State Warriors

Milwaukee Bucks

Garima Ranawat

Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.