A little over a month ago, the Milwaukee Bucks had just finished a three-game West Coast road trip in which they went 2-1 and moved to 32-29 on the season. A 115-113 win at Sacramento was the team’s sixth win in seven games dating back to Feb. 26, and it seemed like the troubles of a horrid early part of the month (2-8 from Feb. 1-23) were behind them.

The team was within shouting distance of the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, and there was a reason to get excited about the playoffs.

Then, the wheels on this wobbly pedal car completely fell off.

Beginning with a 115-108 loss at the BMO Harris Bradley Center to the Dallas Mavericks on March 12, the Bucks have lost 14 of the last 19 games in advance of tonight’s regular season home finale against the playoff-bound Denver Nuggets.

In that stretch there has been a three game losing streak, and two four game losing streaks including horrific losses to the Washington Wizards, Philadelphia 76eres, Minnesota Timberwolve, Charlotte Bobcats and the Orlando Magic. Through it all point guard Brandon Jennings tweaked his Achilles, Larry Sanders banged his back, and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Ersan Ilyasova have battled various illnesses and injuries.

This is the not the way a team wants to roll into a playoff series against the defending NBA Champion Miami Heat, but not for the reasons you might think.

I don’t doubt Monta Ellis, Jennings, Sanders and Ilyasova feel they can play with – and beat – the Heat. I can tell you no professional athlete ever feels they’re the lamb being led to slaughter. To them, they are the wolves. Always.

The reason this last month-plus of bad games is a terrible way to enter the postseason is because it only furthers the disenfranchisement of the fan base. You would think the first playoff appearance since the 2009-10 (and the coinciding tough start by the Brewers) would have this city rocking and rolling toward the playoffs.

You would think fans would be excited, pointing to the 113-106 overtime loss in Miami and dominating 104-85 win at the BMOHBC earlier as reasons to think upset. That’s what fans do. At least, that’s what they’re supposed to do.

Yet this recent stretch has just sucked the life out of the fan base.

On the court, they look down in Orlando and see 20-year-old Tobias Harris averaging 16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks and already long for what may have been. They see a team quick on the trigger with long 3-pointers and low percentage jump shots.

Of the court, they heard how the former coach "hated" this team. (For his part, Skiles vehemently denied that report). They see Jennings, a potential franchise player, speak up about his contract situation, look disinterested and get benched.

They hear how this team loses focus and energy, how it doesn’t buy in to defensive principles or sometimes retreat to "own corners" when things get tough.

It’s a long season, and I’m sure most teams that flirt with the .500 mark have such issues – but this team literally backed into its playoff spot (due in large part because the 76ers are so awful) and none of them have been resolved. If anything, they’ve only been highlighted.

A month ago, I was sure the BMOHBC would sell out for the two home games the Bucks will get against Miami. Now, I’m not so sure. There are a ton of Heat (er, LeBron James/Dwayne Wade) fans in and around Milwaukee, but I don’t know if Bucks fans will be willing to pony up for playoff tickets.

A month ago, I could make the argument that this team could push the Heat to six – maybe seven – games. I agree with some of the Bucks when they say they present their own set of matchup problems for the NBA’s best team, but I haven’t seen that team in a long time.

I do think that, unlike other team sports, you can "turn it on" in the NBA and I still think the Bucks will win one game this series. The way the team is finishing this season however, some may say that’s even being generous.

The best thing the Bucks could do right now, really all they could do, is win tonight against a really good, well-coached Nuggets team.

Denver has work to do to lock up the third seed in the West but has already lost second-leading scorer Danilo Gallinari to a blown knee. They may cut the minutes of some guys, and the Bucks may need to rest some of their own, but it’s the last chance the home fans have to see them up close before hosting Miami in Game 3 of the first round.

This game means nothing, but it may mean everything, at least when it comes to the spirits of those who want those two playoff games to mean something.