Lacking space and time, the Bucks suffered a 113-110 loss to the third-place Grizzlies in Memphis, and they went into the All-Star break anxious.
One step forward, two steps back. That's what the Bucs have been doing all season, and that's what they did in Memphis. Playing against one-third of the Grizzlies, a team that looked like it had just walked out of the G-League with players on two-way contracts and 10-day contracts, the Bucks were relaxed, lethargic and generally unplayable. , resulting in a 113–110 loss, snapping a two-game losing streak at the All Star break, where they had to regroup.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, for his part, struggled. He didn't have much of an opponent and he took advantage of that, finishing the game with 35 points on 15/17 2-pointers, 5/9 shooting, 4 rebounds, 12 assists and 1 foul in 37 minutes of action. Even Damian Lillard (24 points on 7/21 shooting) didn't get enough help because he was out of space and time.
The highlight of Lillard's bad night was the final stretch of the game, where he lost the ball. There he lost the ball… a shot from center, denying Milwaukee's last chance to send the game into overtime and earlier Malik Beasley. 2 consecutive 3-pointers brought the Bucks within striking distance.
With the Bucs' record at 35-21 (23-7 at home, 12-14 away) and 3-6 under the tutelage of Doc Rivers, Milwaukee is still in 3rd place in the East. At 20-36, the Grizzlies, ranked 13th in the West, have reason to celebrate in a year where everything went wrong, lining up 8 of their best players. Attributed to Za Morat, Desmond Payne, Jaron Jackson, Marcus Smart, Brandon Clarke, Derrick Rose, John Konzar, Jake Laravia.
But the Grizzlies looked like JJ Jackson, Jayson Tatum and finished the game with 27 points, they also had Zaire Williams who added 27 points and Vince Williams who added 18 points. And they finished the game with 13/26 3-pointers, picking apart the Bucks' defense. For the record: The Grizzlies are the 2nd worst team in the NBA in 3-point percentage at 34.8% from the 7.25-meter line. But that didn't matter against Milwaukee.
Now the Bucs – like all teams – have All Star Weekend ahead of them, with their next game scheduled for next Saturday (2/24) at dawn (05:00) against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Giannis Antetokounmpo's account
Giannis got off to a very sluggish start in the first period, holding himself to 3 points. From the second period, he started to pick up the pace, scoring 10 more points while distributing the ball at the right time, finishing the first half with 13 points and 7 assists.
In the third period, seeing the game slipping away for his team, he decided to be more aggressive. He drove to the basket, scored, distributed the game and already had a double-double with 27 points and 10 assists over that span. But the fourth period is a different story. Giannis gave things away, stopping at 35 points, but couldn't save Milwaukee from Kazoo.
- 35 points
- 15/17 Two points
- 5/9 shots
- 4 rebounds
- 12 assists
- 1 is wrong
- 5 mistakes
- -14 to +/-
- At 36:37
Dodecalepta: 29-26, 57-57, 94-85, 113-110
Memphis Grizzlies (Taylor Jenkins): Altama 7 (1), Z Williams 27 (4/7 3-pointers), Jemison 10, Goodwin 11 (1), P. Williams 18 (12 rebounds, 7 assists), Stevens 13 (1), D. Jackson 27 (6/10 3-pointers), Watanabe, Gilliard
Milwaukee Bucks (Doc Rivers): Crowder 4, Antetokounmpo 35 (12 assists), Lopez 14 (2/9 threes, 11 rebounds), Lillard 24 (7/21 shots, 3/13 threes), Beasley 9 (3/10 threes), Portis 15 (1), Beverley 1, Connaughton 2, Green 6 (2), Jackson
Grizzlies Team Stats: 31/57 2-pointers, 13/26 3-pointers, 12/19 shots, 40 rebounds, 30 assists, 9 steals, 3 blocks, 16 fouls
Bucks team stats: 31/46 2-pointers, 11/44 3-pointers, 15/20 shots, 44 rebounds, 24 assists, 10 steals, 5 blocks, 13 fouls
