Rapid Recap: Cavaliers 116, Bucks 114

Milwaukee loses heartbreaker in Cleveland 

In a game most people had already written off due to Giannis Antetokounmpo being out, the Milwaukee Bucks lost a heartbreaker to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 116-114. Up eight points in the fourth and unable to take their opportunities to put the game away, Milwaukee now sinks to 1-6, extending their losing streak to six games. Damian Lillard led the Bucks with 36 points, and AJ Green exploded for 21 off the bench. For the Cavs, it was Darius Garland who starred, with 39 points of his own.

Game Recap

The Bucks got down early in the first, with Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland combining to torch the Milwaukee defence early. The Bucks then got back in the game and even led by one late in the first, following multiple Dame Lillard and AJ Green threes. But a bad ending to the quarter saw the Cavs lead 35-31 after one.

AJ Green opened the second with another triple, but Evan Mobley responded with a massive block and transition dunk. Old Buck Sam Merrill banged another three to force the Milwaukee timeout, putting the Cavs up twelve. Bobby Portis scored three straight buckets to reduce the deficit to six and force a Cavs timeout, but a barrage of threes from Cleveland pushed the lead back out to 73-60 at half time.

The Bucks came out of the locker room playing well, with Dame and Bobby combing for the Bucks’ first seven points. Cleveland responded by going on a 5-0 run with a Garland floater and an Okoro three. Milwaukee responded with their best run of the game, mostly powered by Dame but also featuring some important contributions from Lopez, Jackson, and Portis to tie the game at 89. Then, both teams went what felt like an eternity without scoring. Cleveland left Jackson open multiple times, and he couldn’t make them pay from deep. However, we did get a nice Connaughton layup at the end of the third to put Milwaukee up (somehow) 91-89.

Portis got the Bucks up four, then Ty Jerome soon responded with an and-one to tie. The Bucks then want inferno (well, kind of). Two-way guard Ryan Rollins got a putback, Portis hit a fadeaway, Jackson got a massive block, leading to a *deep* AJ Green triple to force the Cleveland timeout, Bucks up 101-94. AJ Green nailed another three to put the Bucks up eight, but Garland responded with a three of his own to reduce the Bucks lead back to five. Multiple missed Portis shots allowed the Cavs to come all the way back and take a two-point lead with two minutes remaining. Then Lillard responded with a tough jumper to even the score, and then a ridiculous step-back three to put Milwaukee up three. Then things went off the rails, the Bucks couldn’t get stops, and Lillard somehow got a backcourt violation. The Cavs then ran away with it. Brutal.

Stat That Stood Out

In a game of inches, it was Dame Lillard’s eight turnovers—including a horrible halfcourt violation at the end—that were probably Milwaukee’s undoing.

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