Kasparas Jakucionis acknowledged that the Milwaukee Bucks have significant room for improvement after their 125-104 preseason loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, while emphasizing the importance of maintaining his aggressive playing style and learning from early foul trouble.
Jakucionis finished with 18 points and six assists at Fiserv Forum, converting all 11 of his free-throw attempts. However, he also committed five turnovers as Milwaukee fell to 1-3 in the preseason and suffered its second consecutive home defeat.
The Lithuanian guard picked up two early fouls, limiting his opportunities to establish an offensive rhythm in the first half. Asked about the situation and the balance between aggression and discipline, Jakucionis admitted he needed to make better decisions.
“It wasn’t the smartest move for me,” Jakucionis said. “But, like, I’m an aggressive player. I always play that way.”
He explained that the preseason provides an opportunity to understand how officials call games and adjust accordingly, without abandoning the approach that defines his game.
“I think the preseason is to figure out some stuff, too,” Jakucionis said. “So just got to be smarter for the next time. Be aggressive, but maybe a little bit smarter on that for sure.”
The early fouls also affected Jakucionis’ ability to find his rhythm, as he spent extended stretches on the bench during the first half. He acknowledged that limited playing time made it difficult to build momentum.
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Jakucionis again took responsibility for the situation, describing the game as an opportunity to learn rather than a reason to change his mentality.
He also made clear that he would not become more passive defensively after the experience.
“I’ll definitely not be passive now just because I got some fouls,” Jakucionis said. “I feel like I’m here to give my all out on the court every time. So I’ll do the same, just be a little bit smarter.”
The guard drew 11 free throws against Chicago, converting every attempt. He said he tried to take advantage of the opportunities officials gave him on the offensive end.
“If they called some fouls for me, I was trying to be aggressive on the other end, so it worked out this game,” Jakucionis said. “Every game you’re trying to do what it gives you. Sometimes you need to be more aggressive going to the rim.”
Beyond his individual performance, Jakucionis identified transition defense as a major concern for Milwaukee after its opening preseason games. The Bucks allowed Chicago to score 102 points through three quarters, including 40 in the third period, as the Bulls built a 24-point advantage entering the final quarter.
“We’re way far from where we should be and where we could be as a team,” Jakucionis said. “The transition defense was really bad in all the games we played so far.”
He also pointed to Milwaukee’s problems protecting the ball, noting that the Bulls scored 41 points off turnovers. The Bucks finished with 30 turnovers, nine more than Chicago.
Despite those shortcomings, Jakucionis expressed confidence in the team’s ability to improve, praising the way players and coaches address mistakes during film sessions.
“I feel like we have really good potential of moving forward and improving things,” he said. “I really like how we approach things. We don’t let it slide. We always show it in the film, we address it, and each one of us can call ourselves out or call it out, and everybody accepts that.”
