San Antonio vs. Milwaukee, Final Score: Spurs blown out by more accurate Bucks, 105-121
Today at 12:00 AM
In a game advertised by ESPN as a matchup of the Big Men, Giannis Antetokounmpo and his veteran supporting cast stood tallest
San Antonio second part of a four game trip was doomed by two extended runs in the first and second quarter by a hotter shooting Bucks squad. In a dominant first half that saw his team go up 19, Giannis Antetokounmpo was content setting up Brook Lopez and little-scouted AJ Green, as the Spurs wilted under the three point barrage. The Spurs relied again on their wily veterans - Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes - to keep the frayed squad in the game in the second half, but San Antonio failed to find a consistent third scorer in the loss tonight.
San Antonio, missing Jeremy Sochan (back), saw Victor Wembanyama (10 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks) suffer a rare inefficient game and was picked up by Keldon Johnson (24 points and 11 rebounds) off the bench, Paul (18 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds), and Barnes (14 points), with little impactful production elsewhere.
Milwaukee, paced by six players in double figures, was led by a well-rounded Antetokounmpo performance (25 points, 16 rebounds, and 8 assists). He received balanced production from the rest of the Bucks' topline players, including Brook Lopez (22 points and 7 rebounds), Damian Lillard (26 points and 8 assists), and Green (14 points).
Observations
- For our Pounders in Southern California, hoping that you are alright and out of harm's way.
- Victor Ease: Midway through the first period, Wembanyama faked Lopez aside, and then went straight at Antetokounmpo and unleashed an acrobatic lay-up under Giannis' arms with enough english to fall ever-so-softly through the hoop.
- Accurate Charles Bassey floater? I'll take 2 or 3 per game please.
- In Sandro Mamukelashvili's action, he netted four points in garbage time.
- At one point late in San Antonio's horrid second quarter, the in-arena music was causing the ESPN broadcast camera to vibrate noticeably.
- Sequence of the Game #1: In the first minute of the second half, Wembanyama fed Castle in the lane, and he rocketed out a pass to an open Harrison Barnes for a wing three.
- Sequence of the Game #2: After an errant Barnes jumper in the fourth, Keldon Johnson soared in for a one-handed tip slam.
Game Rundown
In the first 90 seconds, Antetokounmpo tried to test out Barnes baseline and got swatted away by Wembanyama. Wembanyama then did his "Flamingo 3" seconds later. Castle threw down another ferocious one hand dunk, but Lopez knocked down two alarmingly open threes. The teams had good shot opportunities for the first half of the frame. Milwaukee staged a 12-2 run around Middleton's three, Green's pair of threes, and buckets from Antetokounmpo. Despite those fireworks, Julian Champagnie's two threes of his own helped San Antonio stay within four.
Champagnie picked up where he left off in the second period with a straightaway three. A charge called on Keldon Johnson was overturned since Middleton was not set. The Spurs' output died out over an agonizing handful of minutes with Johnson's floater the only score. Lopez (4th) and Green's (5th) threes put the Bucks up 19 at the half.
San Antonio generated a 14 point burst in the first three part of the third with an assertive Paul hiting two threes - again finding his stroke when the team needed it. Barnes' free throws brought the Spurs within ten momentarily. Milwaukee had an answer for every San Antonio run. Barnes three again made it a 10-point game, which was answered by an Antetokounmpo and-1. In response to yet another Bucks' push, Paul's three shaved the deficit to eight. The Spurs went to the fourth down 13.
For the Buck's fan's perspective, please visit Brew Hoop.
San Antonio's road trip continues (depending on the status of the ongoing Southern California wildfires) on Saturday night at 9:30 CDT for a two game miniseries against Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers.
