The Milwaukee Bucks kicked off a six-game road trip with a matchup against a prominent divisional rival in the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Cleveland jumped out with an early lead, and after 24 minutes of action, the Bucks trailed 63-60 at halftime. Milwaukee came out with an immediate sense of urgency in the second half by outscoring the Cavaliers by 21 over the final two quarters. In the end, Milwaukee picked up their 14th victory of the season after taking down Cleveland 123-105, extending their win streak to three games.
More from Bucks News
- Bucks 2023-24 player profile: Can MarJon Beauchamp take a leap?
- Piecing together the Milwaukee Bucks’ dream starting 5 in 5 years
- Predicting Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s 2023-24 stats for the Bucks
- Grade the trade: Bucks land reputable backup guard in swap with Pacers
- New workout video should have Milwaukee Bucks fans excited
Giannis Antetokounmpo paved the way for the Bucks with 33 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists in 33 minutes of burn. Along with the Greek Freak’s big night, there were several noticeable areas that stood out in this victory, both good and bad.
Without further ado, here are three takeaways from Milwaukee’s double-digit win over Cleveland Friday night.
First takeaway from win over Cleveland Cavaliers – Milwaukee Bucks struggle from the outside
The Bucks entered Friday’s contest against the Cleveland Cavaliers as a team shooting lights out from behind the arc. Heating up with a combined 42 triples in their previous two games, the Bucks certainly wanted to continue that streak by exploiting the Cavaliers’ bottom five 3-point defense to their best ability.
However, it was the complete opposite as they had one of their worst shooting nights of the season. Surprisingly, the Bucks shot a mere 7-of-22 from behind the arc (31.8 percent) and were unable to find any rhythm from distance.
Typically, if Milwaukee shoots such a subpar percentage from long-range, they do not stand a chance of coming out on top, no matter how formidable the opponent. This game proved to be a rare exception, as the Bucks used those 21 points scored off triples to help finish with an astounding 123 points on the night.
It unquestionably helped that the Cavaliers managed to shoot just 11-of-32 themselves from range. Otherwise, this matchup could have gotten ugly fast for Milwaukee’s lackluster 3-point defense. Despite the struggles from deep, the Bucks were able to run up the score by putting together a dominant showing in the post.
Second takeaway from win over Cleveland Cavaliers – Milwaukee Bucks put on a scoring clinic in the paint
Rather than panicking when the 3-point shot struggled to fall with any consistency, the Bucks switched it up and started taking the ball into the post on offense. In fact, they shot just 22 triples in the entire game, which stands far below their season average of nearly 37 3-point attempts per game in an offense that relies so heavily on it.
The Cavaliers had no answer defensively, which helped propel the Bucks to score an astounding season-high 74 points in the paint on the evening.
For reference, Milwaukee’s average points in the post for the season is 47.3, the 12th best mark in the association. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez, and Bobby Portis were particularly working close to the basket, which helped them gain a steady lead as the game progressed. Milwaukee needed a scoring boost with the offense lacking, and everyone on the roster stepped up.
Hopefully, the Bucks do not have too many outings where they shoot awfully from 3-point territory, but it was a relief to see them adapt offensively with the long ball not falling. For Milwaukee to shoot 31.8 percent from downtown and score 123 points and nevertheless get the win, it showcases the versatility of this roster, and embracing that will be crucial moving forward.
Third takeaway from win over Cleveland Cavaliers – Milwaukee Bucks get a big night from their backcourt
While it was undoubtedly a team-oriented win for the Bucks, it would be difficult to ignore the efforts put forth by their starting backcourt. Donte DiVincenzo and Jrue Holiday have had their share of individual struggles this year, but they both put on a show in Friday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Holiday was nearly flawless when scoring the basketball by finishing as the team’s second-leading scorer with 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting and hitting his lone attempt from 3-point range. Along with his impressive scoring showcase, the guard showed off his playmaking skills with seven assists while racking up just a single turnover on the night.
His running mate, DiVincenzo, also had himself an all-around fantastic night as he scored 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting, including 2-of-3 from distance. The guard also hauled in 11 rebounds, helping him log his first double-double of the season. Much like Holiday, DiVincenzo also showed off his facilitating capabilities, dishing out six assists of his own with just one turnover.
The pair also did their part defensively to keep Cleveland’s ascending backcourt in check. Collin Sexton and Darius Garland have turned some heads this season, and slowing them down would be in the blueprint for a Milwaukee win. Indeed, the Bucks, namely DiVincenzo and Holiday, held these two to a combined 32 points, several ticks shy of their season average of 40.4 points per contest.
It was a great win for the Milwaukee Bucks to start their road trip, but they will not have much time to rest as they will have a rematch with the Cavaliers tonight at 7:00 p.m. central time.