The Milwaukee Bucks tacked on their 31st win of the season Friday night as they took down the Portland Trail Blazers 127-109 on the road.
Coming off a much-needed win over the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this week, the Bucks had some momentum working in their favor, and it was on full display last night. Milwaukee was firmly in control of this one from the beginning as they let Portland’s biggest lead of the night balloon to just four early on in the first quarter.
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Eventually building up a sizeable 24-point lead of their own near the start of the fourth quarter, the Bucks were able to close this one out with relative ease despite a late push by the Blazers in the closing minutes.
All in all, Milwaukee played much better basketball on both ends of the floor, which is a promising sign after their recent losing streak began to highlight issues that had previously plagued them earlier this season.
It was a great team win for the Bucks as they move to 31-17 on the season and continue hanging within striking distance of reclaiming the Eastern Conference’s top overall seed. Only time will tell if they can ultimately work back into that position, but they undoubtedly provided some optimism with their latest performance.
With that being said, here are three takeaways from the win over Portland last night.
Milwaukee Bucks dominate the Blazers in the paint in rout
The Bucks are among the best 3-point shooting teams in the association, but there are certainly bound to be games where it seems like they could not throw a rock into the ocean.
Last night’s matchup with the Blazers was unquestionably one of them as Milwaukee shot just 12-of-39 (30.8 percent) from deep in the game. Typically, that would be a recipe for disaster for a team like the Bucks that are so dependent on the long ball, but they managed to stay afloat by dominating in the post.
Interior defense has been a lingering issue for Portland this season, and Milwaukee had no issue taking advantage by scoring a whopping 58 points down low on the night. Struggling from the outside, the Bucks switched it up and worked to get their shots near the basket more often. The results added up as the Blazers simply did not have an answer for Milwaukee’s attack.
Meanwhile, the defense also flashed potential as they allowed a mere 24 points from Portland in the painted area. Finding a groove defensively has been among the most apparent issues for the Bucks this season, but this performance was a perfect display of what had made them the most reputable unit in the league over the previous two seasons.
Jrue Holiday continues recent hot streak for the Milwaukee Bucks
Following a lengthy absence due to registering a positive COVID-19 test, point guard Jrue Holiday has been fantastic for the Bucks lately.
The veteran continued his recent hot streak against the Blazers by scoring 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the floor. Aside from his outside shooting (2-of-6), Holiday had everything working for him offensively against Portland’s defense. Specifically, he continuously contributed a great portion to Milwaukee’s scoring barrage in the paint with a handful of tough finishes at the basket.
When he was not scoring the ball, Holiday ensured to get his teammates involved as he also dished out 10 assists. This marked the second time this season the guard has logged double-digit assists in a game, all of which is showing off his impressive playmaking capabilities. Despite a pair of questionable passes early that contributed to his three turnovers, Holiday eventually found a nice rhythm.
Last night’s effort was just the latest stellar performance from Holiday as he continues to get his legs back after missing 10 consecutive games. It seems that the guard is starting to click at the right time by averaging 21.9 points on .583/.487/.875 shooting splits, 4.4 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and two steals over his last seven games played.
It seems safe to say that Holiday is currently playing his best basketball of the season with the Bucks, and last night’s outing was a perfect example of how crucial he will be to their success. Yet, that even goes without mentioning who was his primary assignment defensive in the matchup.
Giannis Antetokounmpo outduels Damian Lillard in the Milwaukee Bucks’ win
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are among the NBA’s biggest superstars, both currently jockeying for position in the current MVP race. The two All-Stars tend to put on a show whenever they clash, and that was certainly the case Friday night as these two were each at the top of their game.
Giannis came out on top by tallying 47 points, 12 rebounds, and two assists in the contest. The MVP was highly efficient in scoring the ball as he tied his season-high in points on the night by shooting 18-of-21 from the floor, with all three misses coming from behind the arc. Also knocking down 11-of-13 shots from the free throw line, Antetokounmpo continued what has been a fantastic shooting stretch from the charity stripe for him.
On the other side of the ball, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year played a significant part in leading Milwaukee’s fortified effort in the post. Tallying three blocks and a steal in the matchup, Antetokounmpo did his part to uplift Milwaukee’s defense with another fantastic showing.
Meanwhile, Lillard also had a heroic performance by scoring 32 points on 10-of-19 shooting, including 5-of-10 from deep. Being pestered by a resilient Jrue Holiday from the opening tip, Lillard had his work cut out for him without question. To his credit, he still clocked in a solid performance against the two-time All-Defensive honoree.
Antetokounmpo’s MVP stock should certainly be rapidly ascending following his herculean effort Friday night as he inches closer to earning that third consecutive trophy.
Nevertheless, Giannis and the Bucks will have little time to celebrate the victory as they are scheduled to take on the Sacramento Kings at 9 p.m. CST tonight. That should be a great rematch between these two teams, and you can catch that action on Bally Sports Wisconsin.