Milwaukee Bucks beat Portland Trailblazers: Grades and Reactions

Dear Wisconsin, this is the Milwaukee Bucks like you have never seen them before. In front of the second sellout crowd of the season, Giannis Antetokounmpo and friends put on a spectacular demonstration of basketball at its greatest, most entertaining level.

Here’s a quick sample of the lunacy that the poor Portland Trailblazers endured all night (and it’s not even Giannis’ biggest highlight of the game).

Giannis Antetokounmpo turned in his second double double of the season with ten points, ten rebounds and three steals. His energetic, highlight generating dunks energized the capacity crowd of 18,717 as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Portland Trailblazers 95-88.

Jared Dudley added eighteen points and six rebounds, (despite being matched up with LaMarcus Aldridge), and Jerryd Bayless contributed eleven important second half points. Most impressively of all, Kenyon Martin came off the bench and provided energy, a highlight reel dunk, and blocks. For a player fresh off back-to-back ten-day contracts, Martin looked no older than 27.

The true hero of the night was a Milwaukee Bucks defense that allowed just 88 points to the NBA’s seventh best offense. The Buck’s defense was so effective that with 3:23 remaining in the first half the Bucks had only given up 29 points.

John Henson erased four Blazer’s shot attempts en route to a fourteen point, eight rebound performance, while making a strong case for playing starting center.

Make no mistake, Bucks fans. This was your “Own the Future” coming out party. And it came without Jabari Parker. Think about that. Spots are filling up on the “Let’s Go Bucks” bandwagon as the masses begin to learn what we already knew: The Milwaukee Bucks are back and better than ever. Here’s our Bucks grades and reactions from the stunning home performance.

Next: Reactions: The Good