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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Milwaukee Bucks gained their fourth sport in a row by beating Charlotte Hornets 111-99 on Thursday evening on the Spectrum Middle. It’s the first time they’ve gained that many in a row since rattling off seven straight from Dec. 11-23.
The Bucks (39-21) swept the four-game season sequence in opposition to the Hornets (15-44) and evened their report beneath Doc Rivers to 7-7.
Earlier than the sport Rivers mentioned taking part in a staff for the second time in three days at all times presents a problem, particularly contemplating the Bucks beat the Hornets by 38 on Tuesday. However Charlotte head coach Steve Clifford had observed one thing concerning the Bucks at this level.
“I’d say they’re a veteran staff with a ton of expertise they usually’re in a spot proper now the place they’re beginning to be ok with themselves,” Clifford mentioned earlier than the sport. “Even with out (Khris) Middleton. And so they’re saying, let’s get this going. That’s what I see in a normal sense from the way in which they performed in Minnesota to the way in which they performed Philadelphia to the way in which they performed the opposite evening (in opposition to us).
BOX SCORE: Bucks 111, Hornets 99
“That’s when it’s enjoyable if you’re operating a staff like that. While you’re concerned with a kind of veteran groups and you recognize you’re good it’s only a query of when do you need to prepare? To me, I watch them, nicely, they’re preparing. Proper now. And their confidence degree is excessive.”
Rivers agreed with that evaluation.
“A veteran staff that is aware of like, pay attention this stretch, both we get it going or we don’t,” he mentioned. “As I mentioned after I first took the job, that doesn’t equate into wins instantly or it might all be wins and you continue to not be prepared. It’s extra about being prepared. And that’s what you’ll be able to see, the urgency.”
They displayed that urgency within the opening minutes of the sport, getting out to an 8-0 lead they usually by no means actually appeared again. Milwaukee led by as many as 20 within the first half and 23 within the early a part of the third quarter.
Charlotte by no means actually challenged within the sport, whilst they acquired to inside two possessions at one level within the second quarter.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 24 factors, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in 33 minutes. He sat down for good with the Bucks up 104-84 with 5 minutes, 17 seconds to go within the sport. Malik Beasley (19), Damian Lillard (17) and Brook Lopez (11) had been additionally starters that reached double figures.
The Hornets had been led by rookie Brandon Miller, who scored 21. Grant Williams (17) and Seth Curry (13) reached double figures off the bench.
The Bucks finish the night share factors behind Cleveland for the No. 2 seed within the Jap Convention.
“I simply assume that after the break, man, each sport issues you are feeling me?” Bobby Portis mentioned after the sport. “You get into these in-season must-win video games, lowkey, within the standings the place you take a look at it. I take a look at it.
“I’m a fan of basketball, so that you take a look at your opponent’s, you take a look at the Cleveland’s, take a look at the Celtics, take a look at the Knicks, you take a look at the Indiana Pacers, the fellows which might be proper behind you or proper in entrance of you and simply need to win as many as you’ll be able to. Each sport issues. Each possession issues.
“I feel we’re simply sacrificing extra in that and locking in additional, being extra centered, detail-oriented. We acquired nice coaches, man that particularly inform you what they need and its simpler to go on the market and play when you recognize what’s anticipated of you.”
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Damian Lillard’s fast fingers sparks key Bucks run
The Hornets had stayed linked to the Bucks into the second quarter, trailing 50-43 with simply over 5 minutes to go within the first half after a Miles Bridges basket. Antetokounmpo adopted with a dunk, and it appeared that Bridges was going to try to preserve momentum going. He got here off a display that shed Jae Crowder, however Lillard flashed as much as tackle the larger Hornets wing and his fast fingers knocked the ball free. The ball ultimately was knocked into the backcourt, with Dāvis Bertāns ultimately shedding it out of bounds.
“He acquired caught on larger guys tonight however in the event you put the ball in entrance of him Dame has unbelievable fingers and he will get to it,” Rivers mentioned. “He’s additionally going to the correct spots in our rotations defensively and that’s been nice, too.”
That led to a pair of Lillard free throws on the opposite finish, and it sparked a 15-4 run that gave Milwaukee its greatest lead of the half at 67-47.
In that stretch Antetokounmpo scored 5 factors and assisted on three-pointers by Beasley and Lillard.
“They need to, they need to,” Antetokounmpo mentioned of Lillard and Beasley being efficient point-of-attack defenders. “We’re going to be at our greatest after they need to. They’ll’t get screened. In our earlier years once we had been a superb defensive staff we had guys that was actually laborious to get screened.
“However that was a secret. We had guys that was very laborious for them to get screened they usually put stress on the ball. Every time Beas and Dame they’re on the market pressuring the ball, preventing by way of screens, utilizing their fingers, they get deflections and never permit a pocket go, like after they do their job it’s simpler for the protection behind. We’d like them to maintain on doing that. That’s once we are at our greatest.”
Ball motion goes from ‘good to nice’ for Bucks
Of their 4 wins out of the all-star break, the Bucks have assisted on 106 of their 169 area objectives, or 62% of made baskets. It’s been considered one of a number of speaking factors for Rivers since taking on, and although nobody Bucks participant had an inordinate quantity of particular person assists in opposition to the Hornets the staff swung the ball round constantly and successfully Thursday evening.
The “hockey help” was in full drive, too, significantly early because the Bucks constructed a commanding lead, with gamers giving up their very own good search for a teammate’s higher one.
“It positive is sweet,” Rivers mentioned. “You want your stars to be the fellows to make the correct performs they usually did that. Giannis and Dame began it and Brook tonight, additional passes. Bobby additional passes. Pat Connaughton walked by me within the third quarter and mentioned ‘Is that this what you imply by good to nice?’ The truth that he’s considering that’s simply good for our staff. It helps all people. It’s simple prime lay laborious on protection when you recognize the ball is performed proper on offense.”
Although the staff’s three-point share ultimately dropped to a mean quantity for the sport, they had been 9 for 18 within the decisive first half.
“It’s beginning to get contagious,” Beasley mentioned. “I feel persons are excited to be subsequent to their man since you’re going to get the swing-swing. Bobby had what, 4 assists tonight and normally they don’t double-team him so the truth that he was in a position to get it out to us, it was a superb feeling.”
Beasley, who typically advantages probably the most from crisp ball motion, made 5 three-pointers for the 15th time this season. The Bucks are 11-4 in these video games. Pat Connaughton additionally benefitted, scoring 11 factors and hitting 2 three-pointers whereas making three free throws after being fouled on a nook try.
It was the primary time Connaughton reached double figures since Feb. 6. Bobby Portis added 14 factors and 10 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo mentioned gamers are attending to the correct spots on the ground in a faster style, and of their present groove no participant desires to be the one which stops the ball if there’s a better choice out there.
“The ball finds vitality,” Portis mentioned. “You progress the basketball, play free, drive and kick, I feel the ball simply finds the correct man and all people simply traces it up and shoots it. Miss or make that’s the shot for that possession.”
5 numbers
4 Video games the Bucks held the Hornets beneath 100 factors this season.
5 Technical fouls this season on Thanasis Antetokounmpo, after he picked up one whereas on the Bucks bench within the first quarter in opposition to Charlotte. Antetokounmpo appeared to not like the dearth of a name on behalf of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who needed to struggle by way of a few Hornets to place again an offensive rebound.
8 Straight factors by the Bucks to open the sport, and likewise consecutive three-pointers missed by the Hornets within the first quarter. These streaks helped contribute to Milwaukee taking a 35-25 lead after the primary quarter. Charlotte was simply 2 for 11 from behind the three-point line whereas the Bucks began the sport 3 for 4 from the sector.
30-3 Bucks report when scoring 30 or extra factors within the first quarter.
20,717 Profession factors for Lillard after scoring 17 in opposition to Charlotte. That moved him previous George Gervin for No. 45 all-time. After becoming a member of the 20,000-point membership on Dec. 19, Lillard has shortly moved up the scoring ranks. On his present tempo, Lillard has an opportunity to maneuver as excessive as No. 41 by the top of this common season. Solely seven energetic gamers have extra factors than Lillard.
Extra:With the Bucks, Damian Lillard is no longer an overachiever. He’s just meeting his own expectations.
When will Khris Middleton play?
The three-time all-star sprained his left ankle in the first quarter of Milwaukee’s loss to Phoenix on Feb. 6 and has missed the final 9 video games. He didn’t journey with the staff to Charlotte for Thursday’s sport and Bucks head coach Doc Rivers wasn’t positive if Middleton would be a part of the staff in Chicago on Friday, but when he did he seemingly would not play.
It was a little bit of flip from Tuesday when Rivers mentioned, “If he goes, we expect he could play. I feel it is that shut. We acquired to be very cautious with it.”
The 32-year-old performed in 43 of the Bucks’ first 51 video games, as he sat out one sport of a back-to-back set seven occasions. He missed the Nov. 26 game against Portland with Achilles tendon soreness.
Middleton, who re-signed with the Bucks in the offseason, should play in 19 of the remaining 22 common season video games to obtain a $1.5 million bonus.
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