Dame and Giannis overpower LaMelo’s 50-point performance
In a game that finished closer than Doc Rivers would’ve liked it to, the Milwaukee Bucks were able to get the job done against the Charlotte Hornets, 125-119.
Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast Bucks In Six Minutes below.
What Did We Learn?
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard continue to thrive with one another. Last night, they tallied a combined total of 63 points. Antetokounmpo finished with 32 points while Dame featured 31 of his own. This season has continued to show their improved chemistry with one another. Pre-game, I asked Doc Rivers what he has noticed in terms of improvement with their communication from this year compared to last year. Here’s what he had to say:
“I guess it’d be like…you know, I know you guys (the media) more. It’s been a year, almost close to a year. And you just get to know each other better. You get to know their tendencies and they’re working at it. They want to get it right. I think the one-two is there. It takes time. I think, what we all do is we remember the finished product. We don’t remember how long it took Klay and Steph to get it going offensively in the NBA and for them to click. It took them years. It didn’t just happen overnight. So, in their (Giannis and Dame’s) case, you can see it coming.”
Lillard and Antetokounmpo have each reached the 30-point mark in four games this season, which marks the most such games by any duo and the most games with multiple 30-point scorers for a team in the NBA this season.
Three Observations
Milwaukee let Charlotte back into this one but Doc Rivers didn’t seem overly concerned.
This was a great opportunity for the Bucks to truly put a team away, but the chance slid through their fingertips. In his postgame, Doc attributed it to the team’s shot selection and letting up on defense. He also mentioned how it was the last game of a homestand and a back-to-back. He didn’t want to have to put Giannis back on the court late, but was sort of pressed to do so as Charlotte kept lingering around. He then expressed the knowledge of how they’ll look at tape and adjust things as necessary.
LaMelo Ball is a thrill to watch.
It was a career-night for LaMelo Ball, as he finished with 50 points on the evening. He took a plethora of shots, going 17/37 from the floor and 6/17 from beyond the arc. He also notched a double-double by dishing out ten assists. Andre Jackson Jr. got the initial assignment on him and held him in check to begin, but Doc mentioned how he thought the tide shifted at the beginning of the third quarter. Ball ended up scoring 40 points in the second half. Rivers also discussed how a majority of the shots that he took were ones that the Bucks were fine with and that he was content on the defense that was played on him, especially when looking at his shot line. As I said in the Brew Hoop group chat, the league and NBA fans outside of the Bay Area should be thanking the Golden State Warriors for selecting James Wiseman instead of him.
It was another hot-shooting night from Gary Trent Jr. off the bench.
This has been a role that he’s been thriving in. Initially signed with the intention of being in the starting five, Trent has accepted his current role with team and provided consistency off the bench. Last night marked another multi-three game for him, as he connected on 4/5 from downtown, culminating in 16 points. It now seems like his drought of scoring from deep was ages ago. He’s scored 15+ points in back-to-back games and is averaging 13.0 points per game while shooting 59.5% from three since Nov. 13. The other night, Doc mentioned just how dangerous the depth of the Bucks can be particularly from the perimeter. If somebody has an off night, it’s quite likely that somebody else will be stepping up. It’s shaping out to be quite a different story from last season and will be a quality that this team will greatly appreciate come playoff time.
Bonus Bucks Bits
- Brandon Miller also put on a show for the Hornets. He was also a shot machine, hoisting up 23 of his own attempts. He’d connect on six threes en route to a 32 point performance. The Hornets are establishing a true duo in he and Ball and it’ll be exciting to see what Charles Lee can sculpt out of those two.
- The Hornets colors are my favorite in the league. The teal and purple are just a classic look. It screams 1990s, but yet, is still perfect. A 10/10.
- Taurean Prince had another multi-three game as well, connecting on two 3-pointers very early on in this one. I actually think it was under the first 90 seconds of the game. He continues to provide a boost from the perimeter while Khris Middleton nears his return.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 32 points for his third consecutive 30-point game and league-high-tying 10th game this season with 30+ points. He has now scored 20+ points on 50% shooting in each of his first 16 games this season, which marks the longest such streak to open a season in NBA history. Antetokounmpo also reached 19,020 career points tonight, becoming the ninth active player and 65th overall in league history to tally 19,000 career points.
- The Bucks closed out their season-long-tying four-game homestand with a perfect 4-0 mark. Milwaukee has now won six consecutive home games, and six of its last seven overall, to improve to 7-3 at Fiserv Forum this season and 7-5 overall in November.
Up Next
The Bucks are now off until Tuesday, which is when they’ll travel to South Beach and take on the Miami Heat in NBA Cup action. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CDT and the action can be seen on TNT.
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