The Milwaukee Bucks came into one of the most difficult arenas to play in the NBA, took the lead away from the Phoenix Suns in the middle of the fourth quarter, and then finished the game with a flourish to win a 116-104 victory.
That’s something that takes work.
But the Bucks made it seem simple to win. Because of this very reason, they clinched a spot in the playoffs on Tuesday night, making them the first club in the league to do so this season. They also became the first team to win 50 games this year.
Jrue Holiday, a guard with the Bucks, said, “We simply have a nice balance on our squad.” “At any given time, someone will blow their top.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 36 points, as is his customary way, while Brook Lopez contributed 21 points to the team’s total. The Bucks have put together an amazing stretch over the previous two months, winning 21 of their last 23 games. The Suns have now suffered three consecutive defeats.
Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer noted they had just expressed gratitude for this achievement in the coaches’ locker room. “It’s not easy to get into the postseason in this league. It’s important to remember that you should never take anything for granted.
Antetokounmpo was quoted as saying, “We are fine. At now, we are in a favorable position. We need to keep expanding our knowledge while maintaining our modesty.
After falling by nine points at halftime, the Suns could narrow their deficit to one point going into the fourth quarter as Devin Booker made a jump shot from a mid-range position at the buzzer of the third quarter.
The Suns took their first lead of the second half when Cam Payne sank back-to-back 3-pointers to put them up 90-87. This was the first time that the Suns had been in the lead. Pat Connaughton’s corner three-pointer gave the Bucks a 100-97 lead with 6:30 left to play, and the game remained close for the next few minutes after that. But the Bucks surely seized the lead when they made another corner three-pointer.
Antetokounmpo also contributed 11 rebounds and eight assists to the team’s performance. Lopez had a field goal shooting percentage of 10 for 14 and added ten boards to his stat line. The Bucks finished the game on a run that was 24-9.
Booker finished the game with 30 points for the Suns, shooting 13-of-27 from the field. Even though he only played for 26 minutes due to foul issues, Deandre Ayton still managed to rack up 19 points and eight rebounds.
The Bucks had a 57-48 lead going into the locker room. Antetokounmpo scored the most points for the Bucks with 20, while Booker and Ayton got 10 points for the Suns. Phoenix had a field goal percentage of only 39.2 percent in the first half.
MONTH THAT ANNOYS YOU
There was a significant differential in the number of free throws shot throughout the game, with the Bucks shooting 37 and the Suns shooting just 16.
Monty Williams, the head coach of the Suns, could have been happier.
Williams said that the situation was not equitable. Book has three opportunities to make free throws, and Jrue Holiday is one of the most physically imposing defenders in the game. Giannis has attempted 24 free throws so far. That is absurd. There is just no other way to phrase it.
Later, Williams remarked, “Make no mistake about it, they defeated us, but it is a tough one to accept.”
THE TOOTH OF TORREY
Torrey Craig, a forward for the Suns, had a tooth injury in the third quarter due to an accidental elbow delivered by Giannis Antetokounmpo. After a short period of time spent lying on the ground, he eventually located his missing tooth on the floor, which he then picked up and brought to the nearby bench.
TIP-INS
Bucks guards Grayson Allen (sore foot), Goran Dragic (sore knee), and Khris Middleton (right knee injury management) could not play because they were unable to participate in the game… C Meyers Leonard has been contracted to stay with the team for the rest of the season. During his two 10-day contracts, Leonard has participated in five games, averaging 2.8 points and 2.0 rebounds. After being part of the deal that sent Kevin Durant to the Suns, Jae Crowder made his first trip back to Phoenix since the agreement. The Suns acquired Durant in exchange for Crowder. With 1 minute and 23 seconds remaining, he made a 3-point shot that put the Bucks up by 13 points.
Suns forward Kevin Durant has been out with a sprained left ankle and has missed his last four games. Since the squad acquired him in a trade in February, he has only participated in three games. Held a sellout audience for the sixty-thousandth consecutive time. In each of the last 21 games, Booker has scored at least 20 points. It is the third-longest current streak in the NBA, behind only the ones held by Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum.
