Apr 12, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) dribbles the ball as Brooklyn Nets guard Bojan Bogdanovic (44) defends in the fourth quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
With a chorus of “Thanks for Jason” chants raining down from the Milwaukee crowd, the Bucks clinched both a playoff birth and the sixth seed Sunday afternoon, beating the Brooklyn Nets 96-73.
The Bucks were led by Ersan Ilyasova who scored 21 on 8-12 shooting, including 13 in the Bucks’ big third quarter.
After taking a two point lead to the locker room the Bucks started the third quarter on a 8-0 run, claiming a 51-41 lead. The Nets responded with four quick points before the Bucks blew the ceiling off the BMO Harris Bradley Center with a 16-2 game-breaking run.
In what was billed as a playoff warm-up game the Bucks showed they belong among the Eastern Conference’s best. They leaped for loose balls, made extra passes, defended the rim, and played lock-down defense the entire second half–limiting the Eastern Conference’s hottest offense to just 32 second half points.
Assist to field goal rate can be a great barometer for how well a team is playing offensively. The Bucks blitzed the Nets with their passing, totaling 30 assists on 41 made shots while limiting the Nets to just 17 assists on 27 field goals. That’s called getting it done on both ends. That’s called teamwork. That’s the Buck’s team that will seriously threaten their playoff opponent (be it Toronto or Chicago) in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
What a ride Jason Kidd and the young Bucks have been on–doing what many thought unlikely (if not impossible) last summer. The Bucks are returning to the playoffs, and we have your Bucks grades and reactions from the 96-73 playoff-clinching victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
Next: Reactions: The Good