The Milwaukee Bucks started the season 2-8, and fans were panicking. The roster looked stale, and their star players weren’t producing the results they had in the past. News outlets were speculating on whether the Bucks would trade Giannis Antetokounmpo to reset the franchise. That seems like ages ago. The team has completely turned their season around.
Milwaukee has won nine of their last ten games, with the only loss being on a controversial late call. On Tuesday night, they had a chance to go a perfect 4-0 in group play for the NBA Cup. They simply had to beat the upstart Detroit Pistons, who were also 3-0 in group play. Milwaukee absolutely dominated them to notch their seventh straight win and a berth in the NBA Cup knockout round.
Milwaukee Bucks Dominate NBA Cup Play
The Pistons kept it close in the first quarter, but the Milwaukee Bucks took control of the game in the second quarter. The Bucks hit ten threes in the quarter to take a 19-point halftime lead en route to a 128-107 victory. It wasn’t just one person getting hot. Bobby Portis, AJ Green, Gary Trent Jr., and Taureen Prince all hit from downtown in the second quarter. The Pistons couldn’t keep up. There were some questions coming in about the availability of Antetokounmpo. Head coach Doc Rivers revealed he was dealing with a stomach issue but indicated the former MVP was on track to play.
Giannis didn’t have to do the heavy lifting in this game. He had 28 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds on 10-11 shooting. Compared to recent performances, this was a mediocre performance. Lillard had a strong game as well, scoring 27 points and adding five assists and four rebounds. While the stars did what they were expected to do, it was the bench that carried the team. Portis, Trent Jr., and Green combined for 41 points off the bench. Prince continued his hot shooting, going a perfect 4-4 from three-point range. The Milwaukee Bucks will hope to keep the winning streak going all the way to the NBA Cup final.
Winners Of Group B
The Milwaukee Bucks took care of business in the group stage of the NBA Cup. They will now get a chance to play for the midseason trophy. This seemed like a pipe dream a month ago. Milwaukee looks to be in championship form early in the season. While their offense was on display Tuesday night, the defense has carried them during this streak. They are ranked 14th in defensive rating and 15th in points per game. Considering how their season started, the fact they are back to a league-average defense is an incredible feat.
They will need a strong defense in the knockout round. The Atlanta Hawks have already clinched their group, and they have one of the best offenses in the NBA. As of the writing of this article, the New York Knicks look close to punching their ticket to the single-elimination rounds, with either Orlando or Boston getting the wild card. On the other side of the bracket, Golden State and Houston will bring their star-studded rosters to the tournament.
Final Thoughts
This is a huge accomplishment for the Milwaukee Bucks. A month ago, no one would have thought this was possible. Now, they will be competing for the NBA Cup. Rivers has this roster playing great complementary basketball. The stars are showing up. Young players are stepping up and infusing energy into the roster. Role players are finding their shooting stroke. Regardless of whether it is the midseason tournament or the playoffs, the Bucks will be a tough out.
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