Milwaukee Bucks: 4 memorable game-winning shots in playoff history

Jerryd Bayless saves the day for Milwaukee Bucks in Game 4 of first round series against Bulls

Let’s go back to Bucks’ unforeseen ascent during the 2014-15 season, the first year in which former head coach Jason Kidd was in charge.

Milwaukee had overperformed expectations to go 41-41 on the year and earned the sixth seed in the East and a first round matchup with their biggest rival, the Chicago Bulls. Led by the likes of Jimmy Butler, Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, etc., the Bulls had completely overwhelmed the Bucks through the first three games against the Bucks.

That was the case until Game 4 where the Bucks mounted a fourth quarter rally and capped off their comeback win with a heads up cutting finish from journeyman guard Jerryd Bayless off an inbounds pass from then-Bucks forward Jared Dudley.

Taking advantage of the lapse made by Rose under the basket, the play was exactly what they drew coming out of the preceding timeout as Bayless discussed with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel after the game:

"“I was curious,” Bayless said. “I just wanted to know because you usually don’t look for this. One of the things that Coach Kidd always stresses to us is that every cut is live. That play, obviously, it’s a game-winning play. “So I was like, ‘Duds, let me know if you’re going to do it or not so I can be prepared.’ Because, if not, I’m just going to kind of (not look for it)’….He told me he was and he made a good pass.”"

That game winner was very much indicative of that year’s Bucks team that relied on their strength in numbers and their veteran-laden supporting cast, especially with their season on the line.