Cleaning up on the glass
While it unsurprisingly got lost in the shuffle with the late game dramatics that ensued as the night went on, the Bucks flat out dominated on the boards throughout their win against the Hornets.
The Bucks out-rebounded the Hornets 57-41 on both ends of the floor and beyond Antetokounmpo’s mammoth showing, a concerted effort was shown by all those who got considerable run throughout the game.
Both Khris Middleton and Ersan Ilyasova were close to logging double figures on the glass as they each pulled down nine rebounds during their respective run, and the Bucks’ whole backcourt crew chipped in with contributions in this regard.
The Bucks’ size, positioning and overall anticipation to track back in this area of the game showed throughout the night, especially as Budenholzer trended more toward jumbo-sized lineups by having all of Antetokounmpo, Ilyasova and Brook Lopez share the floor together.
Although that tactic got the better of the Bucks in other ways, such as the Hornets’ three-point offense, the Bucks didn’t get damaged in transition and obviously on second chance opportunities (the Hornets scored 11 fast break points and logged seven second chance points).
We’ll have to wait and see how much of it holds as the season winds on, but like their three-point shooting, the Bucks’ strong, fundamental rebounding from the preseason has carried over into the regular season for one game at least.
The Bucks will be back in action to host the Indiana Pacers for their home opener Friday night at 7.30 p.m. central time, which also doubles as the first regular season game held at Fiserv Forum.