It was not the smoothest ride, but the Milwaukee Bucks got the job done as they hosted the San Antonio Spurs late Saturday night.
It was a back and forth battle all night between these two teams, with each group possessing a double-digit lead at one point in the contest. Despite a career-high 31 points from San Antonio’s Lonnie Walker IV on a night where he could not be stopped, the Bucks prevailed with a 120-113 win over the Spurs.
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This marked the team’s sixth consecutive victory, their longest such streak of the season. It appears that the wheels have finally started to turn for the Bucks during this recent stretch of games, and they can only improve from this point forward.
Milwaukee’s record improves to 27-14 on the season following the win, still sitting 1.5 games out of the Eastern Conference’s top spot. This team will certainly continue chipping away at that difference with the postseason inching close, but they can only take that one game at a time.
For now, here are three takeaways from their win over the Spurs at Fiserv Forum Saturday night.
First takeaway from win over San Antonio Spurs — P.J. Tucker’s Milwaukee Bucks debut flashes potential
After being acquired by the Bucks through a trade this past Wednesday, veteran forward P.J. Tucker made his debut with the team against the Spurs.
Coming off the bench, Tucker logged just over 12 and a half minutes in the contest, finishing with zero points, missing his sole shot attempt from the field. However, the front office did not bring the forward in under the mindset that they would rely heavily on his scoring. Instead, they needed his robust defensive presence, and he showcased that defensive expertise in his limited minutes with some high-energy moments.
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The forward checked in and made an immediate impact on the defensive end, showing his versatility by guarding multiple positions and keeping active hands at all times. Although he played under 13 minutes in totality last night, Tucker certainly made a strong first impression as he turned up the intensity on defense.
Even in his first game with the franchise, Tucker showcased a glimpse into what he brings to the table and just how important he can be for this team down the line. Defensive efforts have been a sizeable issue for the team this season, and they believe a player like Tucker will undoubtedly help them improve on that side of the ball as he becomes more accustomed to the team.
Last night was just about getting his feet wet with a brand new team in his first NBA action since March 3, and his minutes will only continue increasing from here.
Third takeaway from win over San Antonio Spurs — Khris Middleton finally breaks shooting slump for the Milwaukee Bucks
Despite the Bucks’ recent winning ways, Khris Middleton had been locked in a major shooting slump coming out of the All-Star break. With his shot struggling to fall whatsoever, he finally broke the spell and had a long-awaited bounce-back performance against San Antonio.
Finally regaining his shooting touch, the forward finished with 23 points on shooting 9-of-16 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from behind the arc. Middleton returned to his All-Star form with another highly-efficient outing highlighted by his heroics in the fourth quarter. Scoring nine of his points in the final period, Middleton helped Milwaukee seal the deal and keep the win streak alive with a much-needed clutch performance.
Hopefully, this game can help the forward maintain some consistency after this rough stretch in the past few games. In Milwaukee’s previous four contests coming out of the break, Middleton had been averaging just 17 points per game, shooting 42.5 percent from the field and an abysmal 17 percent from 3-point territory. For a player that is more than capable of being a household member of the 50-40-90 club, he must be better on the offensive end moving forward.
Whether or not Middleton can remain consistent remains to be seen, but this performance certainly sparks some optimism after a grueling four-game stretch.
Second takeaway from win over San Antonio Spurs — Giannis Antetokounmpo with another MVP performance
Everyone thought the idea of Giannis Antetokounmpo winning his third consecutive MVP award this season was too far-fetched, but it might be time to rethink that narrative.
Antetokounmpo has consistently shown off his improved passing and playmaking progress this season, but he was elite in the win over San Antonio. With his shot not falling early, the two-time league MVP made sure to get his teammates involved on the offensive end, and they made sure to capitalize. Operating as a floor general Antetokounmpo tied his career-high with 15 assists on the night, putting on a premier passing clinic from start to finish.
This was primarily evident in the fourth quarter, where Giannis racked up six of his total assists, which resulted in 14 Bucks points. In addition to getting his teammates great looks, Antetokounmpo was nearly flawless in the fourth himself, scoring 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting. That helped him lead the way for the bucks with 26 points on 9-of-18 shooting, including 2-of-5 from deep.
Whether he was orchestrating the offense for others or taking it himself, Antetokounmpo was virtually unstoppable against the Spurs. He has been playing arguably the best basketball of his career over the past few weeks, and he has shown no signs of slowing down just yet as the wins continue adding up.
Hopefully, Giannis can keep this recent hot-streak alive as he and the Bucks host the Indiana Pacers at Fiserv Forum Monday night. It should be a great matchup between a pair of divisional rivals, and you can catch the action at 8:00 p.m. CST on Fox Sports Wisconsin or NBA TV.