The Milwaukee Bucks certainly know how to put on a nationally televised show, don’t they?
Yesterday’s Christmas matchup against the Boston Celtics was about as dramatic as it could get as the two teams clocked in an instant classic. It did not look that way early on as Boston built up an early 19 point lead and appeared to be in firm control. Yet, Milwaukee bounced back with an impressive 43-point third quarter to cut it close heading to the fourth, where the battle carried on. It was wire-to-wire down the stretch, and with the clock ticking, Wesley Matthews showed off his clutch heroics by burying a 3-pointer to give the Bucks their first lead of the game with 30 seconds left to play. They never looked back and secured the 117-113 win, the perfect Christmas gift.
A huge talking point heading into this matchup was the health surrounding the Bucks. Their injury report looked as clean as it has all season as they got a few notable players back in the lineup after some extended absences, some longer than others. It was beyond welcoming to see a few familiar faces back out on the court for Milwaukee, and they undoubtedly left an impression. With all that being said, let us take a look at three big takeaways from the game.
Donte DiVincenzo’s season debut for the Milwaukee Bucks was justifiably quiet, but they are glad to have him back
It has been a long road to recovery for Donte DiVincenzo, who underwent ankle surgery this past June. After being cleared to return on December 15 after missing all of the regular season to that point, he was immediately forced to enter the league’s health and safety protocols. That pushed his return date back 10 days as he finally made his season debut in yesterday’s game. Not much was expected of DiVincenzo right from the jump in his debut, as it would take time for him to get back up to speed, but everyone was tuned in to see how he would perform.
The guard did not provide too much to interpret throughout his 15-and-a-half minutes played as he scored three points on 1-of-4 shooting while pulling down two rebounds. His lone made basket was a 3-pointer that cut Milwaukee’s deficit to single-digits during the third quarter, which helped as they made their run. DiVincenzo also played solid defense, which will be a significant boost as he returns to form over the next few months, giving the Bucks another versatile piece to utilize in the second unit. Interestingly enough, DiVincenzo finished with a single-game +/- of +13, the third-best on the team behind Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday.
Though he did not stuff the stat sheet or dazzle in his return, it was great to see DiVincenzo take the floor for the first time since Milwaukee’s last first round series against the Miami Heat. Given his role last year before the injury, everyone knows how crucial DiVincenzo can be for this Bucks team, and it should show as he regains his footing. Welcome back, Donte!
Bobby Portis showed signs of rust in his return but gifted the Milwaukee Bucks a double-double regardless
Joining DiVincenzo in the protocols recently was Bobby Portis, who missed the last four games for the Bucks leading up to Christmas. Portis was putting up career-bests across the board before he was abruptly sidelined, and the Bucks undoubtedly missed him in that brief stretch. He was met with a warm welcome by the Fiserv Forum crowd when he checked into yesterday’s game, and he picked up right where he left off, for the most part.
Portis gave the Bucks a big boost offensively by chipping in 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting, hitting two of his four attempts from 3-point range in the process. Whether he was battling down low for the score or stretching the floor and knocking down a three, the Bucks needed every last bucket from Portis to walk away with the win. Although his scoring helped, his rebounding was equally as helpful as he pulled down 10 rebounds as well. Six of those rebounds came on the offensive glass as Portis created countless second chance opportunities for Milwaukee, which clearly helped the champs claw their way back into this one. Portis even added in four assists, having shown off the passing skills at 6-foot-10.
The one thing that held Portis back was the four turnovers he totaled in the matchup. They were simply sluggish as the big man seemingly lost control of the ball several times. Nevertheless, the turnovers will not be remembered as the Bucks got the victory in the end. Coach Budenholzer is known to be mindful of how he distributes minutes, so Portis was limited to 22 minutes in his long-awaited return. Given what he contributed, this was yet another great outing for Portis in what continues to be a career year for him. Welcome back to the lineup, Bobby.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s dominant second half for the Milwaukee Bucks paved the way for a massive comeback
After missing the previous five games for the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo was cleared to make his return to the lineup for the Christmas game. Initially, there was some discussion as to whether or not he would even play due to conditioning, but it seemed clear that the Greek Freak would not miss a game on such a massive stage like this for the world. Thankfully, he received the go-ahead and suited up for the matchup as he put together a masterful performance.
It was not great to start as Antetokounmpo had a measly seven points at the half, having his share of struggles to find a groove offensively. Knowing that his team needed him, Antetokounmpo did a complete 180 in the second half and propelled his team to a win. When that final buzzer sounded, he walked off the court with 36 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and two blocked shots as he had himself a dominant game, especially late.
A chunk of his scoring damage came in the fourth quarter, specifically when he had 12 of the team’s 14 points between the 5:12 mark and 1:29 mark in the game. Speaking of being clutch, the Greek Freak had a block on Boston’s Robert Williams III that practically sealed the win and was incredibly reminiscent of his iconic block in Game 4 of the 2021 NBA Finals. That play surely had to bring back some fond memories for Bucks fans.
The crazy thing is that the team was initially unsure if Antetokounmpo would even play in this one. Antetokounmpo did not look like a player that just missed the last five games, especially one that had tested positive for COVID-19, which he confirmed to reporters after the game. After a game like the one he just had, one certainly could not tell as Antetokounmpo continued to amaze.
The Bucks will get some more time off with their next matchup coming this Tuesday on the road against the Orlando Magic. Be sure to catch that game at 6:00 p.m. CST on Bally Sports Wisconsin.