3 Takeaways from Milwaukee Bucks win over Cleveland Cavaliers
3 Takeaways from Milwaukee Bucks win over Cleveland Cavaliers: Contributions from role players
It would not be fair to omit the often criticized Jordan Nwora from the takeaways of this game. Nwora had easily his best game of the season, from a point total standpoint, but also an efficiency standpoint. Nwora finished second on the team with 21 points on just 10 shots, shooting 6-of-10 from the field and 5-of-9 behind the 3-point line. Nwora also added three rebounds and one assist, block and steal. The aspect of Nwora’s game he still needs to work on is turnovers, Nwora did have three in this game but all in all, this game was a success for him and may keep him in the rotation a while longer.
The Milwaukee Bucks went into this game without Pat Connaughton, who was probable but held out to be safe, Grayson Allen, Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton and obviously Joe Ingles, and got respectable contributions from George Hill and Serge Ibaka. Not massive impacts, but helpful impacts from role playing veterans thrust into more minutes due to injuries and both contributed to the win. Hill was 3-of-6 from the field for seven points and added three rebounds and three assists, one an energy raising alley-oop to Jordan Nwora.
As for Serge Ibaka, he (like Brook Lopez) is playing younger than he is, Serge was making pump fake moves and driving to the basket for a dunk, he made a 3-point shot and gave the Bucks 17 solid minutes. Ibaka finished with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting and four rebounds. Modest output but still valuable for a player that most of us were surprised stuck around in Milwaukee this past off-season.
MarJon Beauchamp struggled from the field but also drew some of the toughest defensive matchups all season, spending time guarding both Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, both all-star caliber guards, while his scoring wasn’t there like previous games, this game might almost mean more in terms of experience guarding high level perimeter players.
Jevon Carter and Bobby Portis both efficiently backed up the big scorers of the evening, both 50 percent from the field, Carter 5-of-10, Portis 4-of-8. Carter also added eight assists and Bobby Board-is grabbed 11 rebounds.
All in all, this is a fantastic team win to get over one of the young upstart teams that is seeking relevance in the Eastern Conference, to win this game without some of the Bucks best players available is even more encouraging.
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