Despite all the odds stacked against them, the Milwaukee Bucks picked up a huge win over the Golden State Warriors thanks to great individual and team performances.
Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
There may be hope for this Milwaukee Bucks team after all. Six weeks after the season opener (and 14 losses later) the Bucks finally took the form fans expected from a Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker, and Greg Monroe led team.
In handing the Golden State Warriors their first loss of the season all three star Bucks lived up to their dynamic potential.
Giannis Antetokounmpo notched his first career triple-double–the youngest Bucks player in history to accomplish that feat.
Jabari Parker was electric–consistently slipping behind the Warriors defense for easy layups and dunks. He also flashed the steady mid-range jumper that made him such a stud at Duke.
And Greg Monroe was flat-out unstoppable–especially in the fourth quarter where he scored eleven of his game-high 28 points.
The big three were joined by a feisty Michael Carter-Williams (five steals), and a locked-in O.J. Mayo (four three pointers) to create an overwhelming demonstration of Milwaukee Bucks basketball.
This was the Milwaukee Bucks like you haven’t seen them in a long, long time.
For instance, after surrendering much of their eleven point halftime lead in the third quarter the Bucks were primed to completely wilt in the fourth. No one would have blamed them either.
But the Bucks attacked their stalwart challengers, starting the fourth with an 11-2 run, building an insurmountable advantage.
Defensively the Bucks were unflappable–holding the Warriors to just two points in the first 5:40 of the fourth quarter and eighteen points overall in the game’s decisive period.
In front of a raucous, sold out, “24-1” clad crowd (including a certain owner) the Milwaukee Bucks staged one of the finest basketball games in franchise history.
The Bucks didn’t just beat the Warriors, they dominated them–leading for all but 1:35.
Whether or not the historic win jump-starts the Milwaukee Bucks season remains to be seen. It does, however, remind fans of the vast potential of this young team.
Let’s take a closer look in our Milwaukee Bucks grades and reactions.
Next: Reactions: The Good