3 takeaways from Milwaukee Bucks’ close win over Dallas Mavericks

Fresh off a big win over the Houston Rockets Wednesday night, the Milwaukee Bucks aimed to keep the ball rolling as they took on the Dallas Mavericks Thursday.

Both teams were significantly shorthanded due to having countless players in the league’s health and safety protocols, but this was a wildly entertaining game nevertheless. Each team possessed a 10 point lead at one point in what was a back and forth contest all the way through. Behind two points entering the fourth quarter, the Bucks immediately gained the lead and never looked back over the final 12 minutes as they went on to secure the 102-95 victory over the Mavericks. With that being said, let us take a closer look at three takeaways from this thrilling contest.

Grayson Allen returned to the Milwaukee Bucks following a two-game absence but struggled to find a groove

In addition to all of the players that the Bucks have placed in the health and safety protocols, they have been without Grayson Allen for the past two games with a non-COVID illness. There was not a clear indication if Allen would play leading up to this game as head coach Mike Budenholzer was noncommital up until the game finally started. Allen did play, although he did not start for the very first time this season.

Coming off two missed games and still battling through that illness, Allen understandably had his share of struggles throughout his 18-and-a-half minutes played. The guard scored just five points in the matchup, shooting a brutal 2-of-8 from the floor, including 1-of-7 from distance. The looks from 3-point range were there for Allen all night, but he simply struggled to find a groove. The pair of buckets that he did knock down was welcoming, as he had an incredibly acrobatic finish right at the rim and then buried a 3-pointer on his next trip down the floor. Aside from those two baskets, it was a rather quiet night for Allen on all fronts.

Despite his limited production, it was great to see Allen back out on the court. This team has had to battle enough with missing players lately, and welcoming one back rather than losing one is a great feeling for a change. It will take time for the sharpshooting guard to regain his rhythm, but last night was a step in the right direction for Allen. Welcome back to the lineup!