3 takeaways from Milwaukee Bucks blowout win over Portland Trail Blazers
The Milwaukee Bucks put their third-quarter woes behind them against the Portland Trail Blazers
It finally happened, everyone. The Bucks not only won the third quarter but did so rather easily. It’s been a trend that I’ve kept my eye on since early in the season and it has persisted, they’re just not good in third quarters this season.
Coming into this game, this is how the Bucks’ net rating looked by quarter this season:
- 1st quarter: +9.1
- 2nd quarter: +10.0
- 3rd quarter: -6.9
- 4th quarter: +0.7
Last night they whooped the Blazers 37-21 in the third and put things out of reach and allowed their starters to get some rest. Portis and Antetokounmpo combined for 27 points of their 37 points on 93.75 percent true shooting.
The Blazers had cut the lead down in the second quarter to five points, but the Bucks led by 16 at the break. Another bad third quarter could have let the Blazers right back into it. That did not happen. It got so out of hand that the Bucks checked in Lindell Wigginton late in the quarter to start emptying the bench.
The third quarter has been a huge bugaboo for the defending champs this season and has cost them games where they’ve been ahead (as their net rating in the first two quarters suggests) and it’ll be something to keep an eye on as the season goes on and into the playoffs.
You can brush it off as they were playing a really bad team, but the Bucks owned the third quarter and perhaps that success is something they can build on. In fact, they can start building on that tonight against the Clippers who are only +0.4 in third quarters.
There’s not a ton you can take away from a game where you shoot 46 percent on 50 3-point attempts, but it’s a good confidence builder, especially at the start of a road trip and ahead of one of the more difficult stretches of the season.
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The trade deadline has created a lot of intrigue around the Bucks, but on nights where they look like this (with a decent backup big man), you almost forget about the flaws that they need to patch up.