Milwaukee Bucks Grades and Reactions to Game 4 92-90 Win Over the Chicago Bulls

Apr 25, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Jerryd Bayless (19) gets a hug from forward

(9) after scoring the game-winning shot against the Chicago Bulls in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at BMO Harris Bradley Center. The Bucks beatbthe Bulls 92-90. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Reactions: The Good

• With all due respect to Khris Middleton I present to you the biggest shot of the Buck’s season.

• Jerryd Bayless has been bad lately. Jared Dudley was awful from January through to Game 2 of this playoff series. Yet here we are–the Bucks’ two veteran off-season acquisitions hooking up for a playoff game-winner. Bayless’ finish was solid, but it was the pass from Dudley (over Noah) that was truly magical. Look at Rose’s exasperated expression as the shot went in. Love it.

• John Henson has earned his place on the Buck’s roster through his play this series. He was OK offensively, but defensively? He was an absolute monster. His role on the Bucks is tantamount to Joakim Noah‘s on the Bulls. Limited offensively and gifted defensively. When Henson plays with the fire he’s had the last three games it makes you forget that Zaza Pachulia is even an option. Here’s a glimpse into Henson’s defensive prowess (at the expense of Derrick Rose).

• Regardless of the Buck’s progress offensively this year into next they will remain a formidable defensive team. That very defense forced 26 Bull’s turnovers (off of 20 steals!!) and scored 38 points off those turnovers. Here’s two of those points. Note how Noah’s foul on Giannis should have resulted in a clear-path foul. Oh well. We’ll take the dunk.

• A year ago Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s game was like one of those “mystery bulbs” that people plant in their fish tanks. There’s the promise of beautiful success clearly displayed on the label, but it comes with the implicit caveat that the bulb will likely never sprout, much less blossom into a full grown tank-gem. Giannis has sprouted–there’s no doubt about that. He’s beginning to blossom as well. He followed his MAN’s rebound (i.e. flies into the screen from nowhere) in the third quarter with a top-of-the-key jumper on offense. Stink face and chest pounding followed, of course. He’s only twenty-years-old and is already making critical plays in NBA playoff games. It will be interesting to see how he plays against a rabid Bulls crowd on Monday night.

• O.J. Mayo showed exactly why he’s one of the league’s more dangerous bench players. He scored eight critical fourth quarter points and was a tenth of a second from getting eleven. Mayo’s tenure in Milwaukee has largely been a love-hate dynamic. We loved his game-tying three against L.A., but we hate his nonsense early in the shot clock jumpers. No one is hating this.

And there was much rejoicing.

Next: Reactions: The Bad