Free throws doom Mavericks in Milwaukee Bucks comeback win

Takeaways from Milwaukee Bucks comeback win against Mavericks: Clutch time performance

As mentioned, Brook Lopez made the game winning shot, a shot that put the Bucks up for good 106-105, his only made shot of the night. Look at the play though, see first George Hill inbounding, then a fantastic screen set by Khris Middleton on Maxi Kleber, following that screen all of the Mavericks’ attention is on Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, allowing a free run to the basket for Lopez and a finish to give the Bucks the lead.

Then the Milwaukee Bucks weren’t finished, they left 7.8 seconds on the clocks for the Mavericks to have a chance at a game winner. However, more great coaching showed through, the Mavericks set up a play they have used multiple times this season in the closing seconds of tight games. The Bucks coaching staff diagnosed the set-up of the play and relayed it to the players prompting some defensive switches before the inbounds. With the Mavericks out of timeouts, they had no chance but to try their play despite the Bucks knowing what was coming.

The defensive switches before the inbounds resulted in Jrue Holiday switching on to Luka Doncic after a screen by Christian Wood and a desperation 3-point shot attempted by Luka from 30 feet away that didn’t touch the rim and sealed the comeback. Here this sequence is described in great detail and explained very well by Gibson Pyper of Half Court Hoops.

The Mavericks were 7-of-15 at the free throw line in the fourth quarter of this game, undoubtedly part of what let the Bucks come back to win this game. The Mavericks at the line for the game were 10-of-24 at the charity stripe, 41.7 percent. Shockingly, 14 missed free throws isn’t the most the Mavericks have had this season, Dallas missed 15 free throws in an overtime loss to the Detroit Pistons on the first of this month.

Conversely, the Milwaukee Bucks shot very efficiently in the fourth quarter, 6-of-7 at the free throw line and 12-of-18 on field goals including 3-of-6 behind the 3-point line.

This win will certainly be remembered towards the end of the season when seeding questions for the playoffs begin to arise.

The Milwaukee Bucks play the Rockets in Houston tonight, stay tuned for more analysis.