Milwaukee Bucks: Player grades from 130-116 win over Miami Heat

Guard. Milwaukee Bucks. GEORGE HILL. B+. It took some time, but George Hill is starting to resemble the critical sixth man that he had been for the Bucks throughout the 2019-20 season. While Hill was just 1-for-3 from the field and missed his lone triple, Hill was forcing the issue and putting on the burners to reach the cup and ultimately get to the free throw line where he went 7-for-8 that helped him get nine points. Adding in six assists and zero turnovers, Hill was the stable initiator that the Bucks have sorely needed since restarting the season. On the other end, Hill was absolutely tremendous defending on and off the ball and got his hands into passing lanes to slow down the Heat, and put them off their rhythm throughout the second half.

Marvin Williams didn’t necessarily inspire awe over the course of his 21 minutes on the court in the Bucks’ impressive win over the Miami Heat Thursday. The former Tar Heel was quiet offensively, scoring just two points on three shots (0-for-2 from three), though he did put down a nice floater in the paint early on in his run. With that said, Williams’ sturdiness on defense continues to be an asset, especially when the Bucks go small without either Lopez on the floor. And his hustle for the ball was evident throughout as he came down with seven boards and a steal.. Forward. Milwaukee Bucks. MARVIN WILLIAMS. C+

B+. It wasn’t a positive start for Pat Connaughton Thursday who immediately showed off his rust with a couple of bad turnovers, just as the Bucks’ deficit in the first half had reached its peak. But just like the second half overall, Connaughton was a key contributor throughout his 21 minutes. Whether it was the three triples he added or chasing around the likes of Robinson defensively, Connaughton continues to show his worth to the Bucks’ rotation and hopefully that continues moving forward.. Wing. Milwaukee Bucks. PAT CONNAUGHTON

C. Donte DiVincenzo continues to search for consistency while in Orlando and it was a tale of two stories for his play on both ends of the floor. DiVincenzo’s was far quieter offensively and was limited to two points on four shots (0-for-1 from three) while adding in three assists. It was DiVincenzo’s physical and persistent defense that was key to the Bucks’ second half turnaround as it helped ramp up their perimeter defense collectively. He still has a long way to go, though, in achieving that two-way balance that will make DiVincenzo an even more critical role player for the Bucks.. Guard. Milwaukee Bucks. DONTE DIVINCENZO

D. Ersan Ilyasova’s minutes largely came as a result of the foul trouble that Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo got himself into throughout the day and the Turkish international didn’t impress in spelling the MVP. Ilyasova finished with zero points after attempting one shot in nearly six-and-a-half minutes.. Forward. Milwaukee Bucks. ERSAN ILYASOVA

Milwaukee Bucks. KYLE KORVER. F. It’s fair to say Kyle Korver’s outing yesterday was far from ideal. The veteran sharpshooter missed on all five of his 3-point attempts Thursday afternoon and happened to play when the Bucks’ defense was at its most turnstile-like. Korver finished with zero points and was limited to a late cameo in the second half after his first half struggles.. Wing

With the rotation tightening to a playoff-like matchup, Sterling Brown’s minutes shrunk significantly and only made a late-game cameo with the result in hand. He did manage to hit both of his shots, including a three, to get in on the action and it’s a role he may have to get used to when the Bucks are at full strength like they were Thursday.. Wing. Milwaukee Bucks. STERLING BROWN. B

On the day of his 51st birthday, Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer celebrated in style with the Bucks’ comeback victory over the Heat. Of course, that didn’t come without some serious problem solving and significant frustrations over the first half where the Bucks looked as bad as they have in Orlando and for most of the season. But Budenholzer’s decision to tighten the Bucks’ rotation and stagger his star players to the point where at least one of Antetokounmpo, Middleton or Lopez were on the floor at all times was incredibly crucial to the Bucks’ second half comeback. The Bucks’ improved performance certainly must have come with a tongue lashing from Budenholzer during halftime, but whatever the method, it certainly helped the Bucks get back on the right track and lock down the one-seed in the East.. Head Coach. Milwaukee Bucks. MIKE BUDENHOLZER. A