It is obviously too early to wonder if the break did the Bucks any good, but Doc Rivers' men signed one of their biggest victories of 2024 by winning 112-107 on the Wolves floor. A success built in the 3rd quarter with a 20-2 which broke the Wolves' legs.
Before that, we were treated to a balanced first half with Karl-Anthony Towns already in a double-double at the break, and Rudy Gobert who had put his teammates on the right track after a failed start (7-0 ). On the Bucks side, discipline, and the search for the extra pass. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard strive to involve their teammates, and it results in some great collective sequences. At halftime, Minnesota was in front (57-51).
A fatal 20-2
And then, upon returning from the locker room, clumsiness seizes the Wolves. The Bucks have not necessarily raised their level of play, but the baskets are no longer coming in. Whether it's Gobert near the circle, or even Anthony Edwards dunk, it's a miss… Result, Milwaukee signs a 20-2 in five minutes! With the insolent Lillard-Beasley pair behind the 3-point line, the Bucks break away to lead by 17 points (87-70)! While he had not scored a single point in the first half, Beasley ended this quarter with a 4 of 5 3-pointers in four minutes.
The Wolves are not giving up, and are making up their ground. But opposite, Lillard is still just as clutch. At each close, he punishes. At the start of “money time”, it's him who hits a 3-pointer near the Wolves bench to restore a 9-point lead (103-94), and it's him again who scores the “dagger” at 10 seconds left when Edwards had brought his team to -3.
What you must remember
– Lillard’s contrasting performance. At first glance, an 8 out of 23 on shots is a sign of a failed evening. Not with Damian Lillard, author of several brilliant shots to respond to Edwards' heat in the last two minutes. We will remember Lillard's desire to make others play, with “drive-and-kick” which allowed Malik Beasley to hit the mark.
– Home series. Still leading the Western Conference, tied with the Thunder, the Wolves play seven games in a row at home. But the schedule is strange since there are six matches divided into three “back-to-back” series.
– The Towns-Gobert pair’s construction site. A double-double each for Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert, very good in the first half. The two interiors reigned in the paint with notably 12 offensive rebounds, and they allowed the Wolves to score 32 points on second chance baskets!
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
