Nothing is going to be easy with this, is it?

I hope the Bucks haven't given up on their coach. I hope they haven't given up on the season. Most of all, I hope they haven't given up on themselves.

The eyeball test indicates that any or all of those possibilities are not out of the question. What else can be said about the lifeless embarrassment of performances we have all witnessed over the last two weeks?

It is a fine line between being in a funk and actually full-on quitting. And while it is true that you only can find the character of a man in his darkest hour, right now it is impossible to say whether or not the Milwaukee Bucks have reached that valley after falling to the putrid New Orleans Hornets at the Bradley Center Wednesday, 92-89.

"We just couldn't get over the hump," Bucks guard Mike Dunleavy said. "We're just struggling right now with coming out and putting together a full 48 minutes and playing with energy and passion."

Of course Dunleavy is right. But how can a team that seemingly has legitimate NBA talent, even without Andrew Bogut, not at least bring their "A" game?

When Brandon Jennings told reporters after the game, "It doesn't seem like we have the same passion we had in the first couple of months," no one was shocked. After all, we can all see for ourselves that something has gone horribly amiss.

But then when he admitted that "I can't say I've been playing hard the last couple games because I really haven't. I need to look in the mirror and ask myself is this something I'm up for," what are fans that spent perhaps hundreds of dollars to attend thinking?

And what exactly is Jennings wondering about what he is up for? Playing with tenacity and grit? Playing to the full capability he can? Or does he mean something worse? Is Jennings referring to playing for Scott Skiles, or is he uncertain about his ability to lead in the absence of Andrew Bogut?

Then again, I honestly do not know whether to commend Jennings on his honesty or want to ride him out on a rail for admitting to loafing. Under normal circumstances if there is a cancer in the locker room, you cut your losses and move on. But the Bucks simply cannot afford to do such a thing.

For better or worse, the Bucks are unable to do a wholesale changeover of their roster. It seems like general manager John Hammond has already tweaked things to the point that they should be able to at least be competitive with just a little luck. And as evidenced by yet another freak Bogut injury, luck has been in short supply with this franchise lately.

But you at least expect an effort. After Jennings' comments you wonder what the turning point was when he decided he didn't need go full-tilt. After beating the Lakers on Jan. 28 and then the Heat on Feb.1, the Bucks looked like the Bucks of 2010. Hustling after loose balls, playing defense, giving effort in all phases of the game made fans think that this year's squad was capable of overcoming Bogut's injury to at least some degree. In fact, after the Miami win, Milwaukee was just one game less than .500 with very winnable games right in front of them.

Since then, the Bucks lollygagged their way through almost half the game (particularly in the second quarter) against a poor Phoenix team Feb. 7 at the Bradley Center before losing 107-105. I suppose you can give them credit for coming back after digging themselves a massive hole, but just couldn't finish.

A pair of road wins (albeit to well below-average teams, Cleveland and Toronto) quelled the fears of some that the Bucks were incapable of coming from behind and keeping a lead.

And then three straight losses and Jennings admitting him and the rest of the team have not played up to their potential.

That begs the question of what has gotten into Brandon Jennings. Is it his new backcourt mate, Stephen Jackson? Jennings was never a problem child before this season in respect to his comments to the media. And while some of that can be attributed to him trying to be honest, it is human nature for him to look around at his situation and might think there could be something better for him elsewhere.

To his credit, Jennings has never come right out and said that he wants out of Milwaukee. Jackson all but has, when he accused Inside Milwaukee's Howie Magner of trying to get him fined when Howie was asking him the perfectly legitimate question of whether or not he actually wanted to still be here.

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