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[Milwaukee Bucks]

Rapid Recap: Bucks 120, Warriors 110

The Milwaukee Bucks picked up their fourth win of the season, taking out an early-season Western Conference contender in the Golden State Warriors 120-110, even without Giannis Antetokounmpo. Ryan Rollins followed up his impressive performance from Tuesday night with another career day with his first 30-point game, scoring 32 points on 13/21 shooting. Myles Turner had his best game offensively as a Buck with 17 points on 7/12 shooting. Stephen Curry had 27 points on 8/19 shooting to lead the Warriors.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap​

Rollins followed up his career performance on Tuesday night with another fast start against Golden State. He rattled off the first five points with a layup and a three-ball off the dribble, as the Bucks took the lead early. The all-star firepower of the Warriors then came into play, with Draymond Green opening the game with a three, Jimmy Butler getting a layup, and Steph Curry hitting three free throws in the frame. It was a struggle to score offensively for players not named Rollins, as the first field goal made by another Buck was Myles Tumer with 5:40 to go in the quarter. Turner seemingly found his stride as he hit another one from distance, giving the Bucks a six point lead with 5:07 to go in the first. After the Warriors stars showed out early, the role players and bench gave them a boost, with Kuminga hitting back-to-back layups to get the Dubs back within one. After the Warriors retook a one point lead, it was all Bucks for the final 1:40 of the quarter. Milwaukee went on a 10-0 run to take a 34-25 lead heading into the second quarter.

After the Bucks pushed their lead up to as many as 10 points early in the second, the Warriors were able to cut it down to just four rather quickly. Enter Bobby Portis, who came in averaging just eight points per game on well below league-average shooting numbers. During his six and a half minutes on the floor in the quarter, he scored 10 points on 4/6 shooting from the field, including two threes. That microwave performance from Porits put the Bucks up by seven points with 5:26 to go in the first half. Golden State battled behind Kuminga and Butler and got it down to a one-point game with 3:37 to play. After being held without a field goal make in the first quarter, Curry started to heat up with a couple of three-pointers, including one that tied the game with 2:34 to play. The Bucks remained ahead or tied down the stretch, and thanks to a Rollins layup with 40 seconds left, Milwaukee went into the locker room up by two, 60-58.

Things continued to remain close between the two out-of-conference foes in the third quarter. Milwaukee did build up a five point lead early, but in a game against the Warriors, that type of lead doesn’t last long. The Dubs went on a 6-0 run to retake the lead with 8:36 on the game clock. Golden State built a lead as high as three during the stanza, but the Bucks never let it get larger than that. After a nearly two-minute scoring drought between the two sides, Milwaukee made their move as Kuzma and Cole Anthony hit back-to-back threes to take a two-point lead with 3:35 left in the third. The Bucks continued to push the advantage, going on another 6-0 run to take an eight-point lead with 1:21 to go thanks to a Rollins layup. Then an old nemesis rose from the dead, as Butler went on a personal 5-0 run to cut the Bucks lead down to three, 87-84, heading into the fourth quarter.

The mosquito fleet of Rollins and Anthony continued to show why they are a match made in heaven. In the early goings of the quarter, the pair scored the first five points to get the Bucks back up by six. Golden State wouldn’t be put away that early, as Buddy Hield hit back-to-back shots for five points to cut the lead back down to just one, 92-91 Milwaukee. After some back and forth, the Bucks created some breathing room. A 5-0 run by the Bucks got them a seven-point lead with 5:42 to go. The Warriors once again got it back within two points, but the incredible performances from Rollins and Turner helped spark the Bucks once again. Milwaukee would hit four threes in six attempts from deep as the crowd from Fiserv popped, with the Bucks leading by 11, 117-106. Golden State made it interesting by getting back within seven, but who else but Rollins would deliver the dagger three.

Stat That Stood Out​

What really made a difference in this game was the defense the Bucks played on Curry all night long. While he did score over 20 points, they didn’t really let him get a rhythm from beyond the arc. He finished the game 4/10 from beyond the arc—not the long-range show that Curry usually gives teams. Major credit to Rollins, Anthony, AJ Green, and Trent down the stretch, especially to close the door on Curry and the Warriors.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-scor...urner-cole-anthony-stephen-curry-jimmy-butler

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Kevin Porter Jr. sustained meniscus injury, out four weeks

Of course, as the good vibes flow for the Bucks, fans have been dealt some bad news: Kevin Porter Jr. sustained a right knee meniscus injury during his on-court return-to-play training yesterday, according to the team.

The injury will require a minor orthopaedic procedure that will sideline him for approximately four weeks. Further updates will be provided as necessary.

We know the value KPJ provides to this team as a change-of-pace guard, and his absence is not easily papered over. Since joining the Bucks last season, Porter averaged 11.7 PPG, 3.7 APG, 3.9 RPG, and 1.3 SPG on 49.4% shooting from the field and 40.8% from three.

That said, the emergence of Ryan Rollins, along with Cole Anthony’s play, will undoubtedly help replace the contributions Porter would have made to the team. We saw just last night that Rollins, in particular, is capable of handling more minutes and on-ball reps. If one of Rollins or Anthony gets injured, though, the guard room becomes very thin.

If fans are searching for “positives,” it is preferable that this injury has occurred early in the season, giving the team plenty of time to gel once KPJ returns. The Bucks play the Sacramento Kings tomorrow afternoon.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-inju...ort-kevin-porter-jr-ryan-rollins-cole-anthony

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Sacramento Kings Preview: The power of friendship

The Milwaukee Bucks face off against the Sacramento Kings this afternoon in a matinee game. Milwaukee beat Sacramento in both matchups last season and has had the wood over them for the past few years.

Where We’re At​

Things are going swimmingly in the Cream City, it’s fair to say, sitting at 4-1 with signature wins over the Knicks and Warriors in their last two games (along with a very close loss to the Cavs). The energy around the team seems to be the best it’s been in a few years, and the guys are really buying into their roles and contributing on both ends; this buy-in is reflected in the raw statistics, with the team ranking in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency thus far.

On the other hand, things are not going quite as well for the Kings, who sit at 1-4. This franchise has looked directionless for quite a while, and this team appears no different. There truly is a mishmash of randomly assorted guys on this squad, including but not limited to: superstars from yesteryear (Russell Westbrook and DeMar DeRozan), helpful-but-maybe-past-it role players (Malik Monk and Dennis Schröder), and promising young guys who are sort of blocked from opportunities (Devin Carter and Keon Ellis). And yet, with all that said, this is still a team with lots of talent that can beat anyone on any given night (especially if Giannis doesn’t play).

Injury Report​

For Milwaukee, Giannis is questionable to play (left patellar tendinopathy), while Kevin Porter Jr. remains out (right meniscus tear).

For Sacramento, Malik Monk (personal reasons) and Keegan Murray (left thumb UCL injury recovery) are out, while rookie Nique Clifford is questionable (right hamstring strain).

Player To Watch​

With Ryan Rollins being the team’s presumed starting point guard (for the foreseeable future, at the very least), opposing teams will increasingly key in on his strengths and weaknesses. I think Rollins is one to watch now, coming off that explosive night against the Warriors. How much attention does he get from the Kings? Who do they put on him? Can he still get to those same looks? Rollins is no secret anymore, and now the real work starts.

How To Watch​

FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 4:00 p.m. CDT.

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Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-game...-preview-start-time-tv-schedule-injury-report

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Rapid Recap: Kings 135, Bucks 133

The Milwaukee Bucks surprisingly dropped this game to the Sacramento Kings—who were 1-4 coming in—in a controversial fashion by a final score of 135-133. Giannis finished with just 26 points, the first time this season he’s been held under 30, while Kuzma added 22. Zach LaVine led all scorers with 31 points, while DeMar DeRozan had 29 in the winning effort for Sacramento.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap​

The Bucks got out of the gates quickly against the Kings, making their first five buckets to grab a 15-2 lead before Kings head coach Doug Christie called a timeout. It wasn’t just the offense that got the ball rolling; the Bucks’ defense was tenacious, causing Sacramento to go 1/6 from the field in that span. Milwaukee continued to roll, pushing their lead to as many as 15 points, going up 21-6 with 7:36 to go in the quarter. Sacramento didn’t even hit double figures until a minute later, after Russell Westbrook hit the first of his two free throws. Things got a bit heated between Bobby Portis and Domantas Sabonis after it appeared the pair got tied up. Portis was assessed a taunting technical foul for pointing in the face of Sabonis. That didn’t slow down Milwaukee at all, though, keeping their lead above double figures, thanks to the duo of Giannis and Ryan Rollins, who each got dunks in the lane. Towards the end of the quarter, the Kings did find their footing, getting back within single digits thanks to their bench and the iso heroics of DeMar DeRozan. By the time the first 12 minutes of action had come and gone, the Bucks went 17/24 from the field, 8/13 from three, and scored a first-quarter season high of 47 points, heading into the second up, 47-36.

Familiar Bucks villain Dennis Schroder was causing problems for Milwaukee to begin the second quarter. He scored the first five points for the visitors, cutting the Bucks’ lead to six in short order. While the Kings were running with four guards, the Bucks opted to go bigger, and it worked out somewhat in their favor. The bench was able to build the lead back up to 14 before a Drew Eubanks lob dunk forced head coach Doc Rivers to call a timeout with the Kings down just 10. Then the Bucks went through a 3:33 scoring drought. The lull allowed the Kings to completely erase the lead, down to just three points, with 4:34 to go in the half. The Bucks also ended a 4:46 field goal drought, thanks to a Rollins layup. That bucket helped get the Bucks back in gear, going back up by eight points with a tad over three minutes to go. That advantage didn’t last long, though, as the Kings outscored the Bucks 8-1 over the final 1:28 of game time, leaving the Bucks a minuscule one-point lead heading into the locker room. After scoring 47 in the first, the Bucks were limited to 24 and went 1/7 from the three-point line. The Kings shot 59.1% from the floor (13/22) in the quarter and 5/6 from the charity stripe.

The heat between these two teams got turned up once again. On a drive to the lane from Giannis on a fast break, Westbrook practically bear hugged the big fella, and both sides had words for each other. As for the actual basketball on the floor, the Kings came all the way back, trailing by as many as 15 points, to take the lead. After a couple of Trent free throws gave the Bucks a two-point lead, the Kings came back with seven straight points to take their largest lead of the game to that point at five. Things went from bad to worse for the Bucks, as the three-point shooting for the Kings finally started to get going. LaVine and Schroder made back-to-back bombs to give Sacramento their first double-digit lead of the night at 11. After giving the starters a breather, the Bucks’ bench gave them a boost and helped stop the bleeding. Portis hit a couple of threes, and Kyle Kuzma hit a spinning layup off the baseline to get the Bucks back within six, 102-108, heading into the fourth quarter.

Things started in a rather interesting way. Cole Anthony got tossed just 1:20 in after receiving his second technical of the game for arguing with the officials on foul calls. Out of everyone on the Bucks roster, it was Kuzma who helped keep the Bucks within striking distance. Kuzma scored the first 14 points for Milwaukee in the fourth quarter to make it a six-point game with 5:23 to go. It took until the 3:54 mark of the fourth for a player not named Kuzma to score, as Giannis hit two free throws, to get the Bucks back within six again. The momentum finally seemed to swing back the Bucks’ way after Giannis hit a three-pointer and then threw down a one-handed jam to get the Bucks back within three with 2:35 left in the game. It turned into a nail-biter from there, with neither side gaining much of an edge. After two DeRozan free throws made it a four-point game, Turner hit a clutch corner three to bring it back within one with 51 seconds left. The defense then forced a miss by DeRozan, and they had a chance to take the lead, but Giannis threw the ball off the underneath part of the basket and turned it over. Schroder made two free throws to make it a three-point game, as the Bucks came the other way after a timeout. After two missed shots from AJ Green to tie the game, he was fouled on the floor by LaVine to force two free throws. Green made the first and missed the second intentionally. Giannis grabbed the rebound and appeared to be fouled by Drew Eubanks, but there was no call on the floor, and there was no shot at the rim, sealing the Bucks’ fate.

Stat That Stood Out​

The Bucks struggled to hit their free throws, and it wasn’t just a Giannis problem this go around. While he did miss five of his 14 attempts, Turner missed both of his, Trent missed two, and even Cole Anthony went 1/2 from the line. The total ended up being 20/31 for the Bucks (64.5%), while the Kings were incredibly efficient from the free throw line, going 35/40 (87.5%).

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-scor...iannis-ryan-rollins-demar-derozan-zach-lavine