An all-around team effort from the Milwaukee Bucks got the 127-105 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in what was also a jersey retirement celebration for legend Marques Johnson on Sunday afternoon at Fiserv Forum.
Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers was an all-around turn around for the Bucks from last Sunday’s game against Philly.
“We just know how to get back into the hustle,” said Antetokounmpo. I think defensively we played good. We moved the ball and made shots.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo led with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Followed by 17 points apiece for George Hill and Khris Middleton. Brook Lopez added 14 points. Last, but not least, there were a number of players who scored 12 points, including Eric Bledsoe, Tony Snell, and Sterling Brown.
This scoring rampage was shown quickly with points for Antetokounmpo, Brown, and Hill. This put the Bucks up an early 15-6 lead. The Bucks shot an overall 55.2 percent from the field.
The Bucks played the Cavs at Cleveland last Wednesday and lost 107-102 without Antetokounmpo and with only eight players.
Now on a home stretch and playing Cleveland again, the Bucks were noticeably more comfortable and able to get a number of their players back healthy for Sunday’s game.
“You just have to come out there and compete as hard as you can,” Antetokounmpo said on playing the Cavaliers. “We lost a few days ago to the Cavs and we just had to get them back. I think we played as hard as we can and did our job.”
“It was great seeing John Henson. It’s always fun being around him. He’s a great, positive guy. He was my teammate for the past 6 years. We just had to come out and do our job,” he said on meeting up with former teammate John Henson.
Kevin Love led the Cavs with 20 points and 19 rebounds. Four others scored in double figures, including Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson. But the Cavs could never find the lead and the Bucks never trailed.
With Malcolm Brogdon ruled out indefinitely, Hill stepped up in the point guard position. Hill was acquired from the Cavs in a trade in December and it paid off as he shot an almost perfect 7-of-8 from the floor.
“I’m just finding my way,” said Hill. “Sometimes, it’s tough to come to a new team in one of the best in the league and try to do what you do and find my niche. Then sometimes, you try to get a little groove and go down with a little injury and try to work your way back. I’m just finding little ways that I can be effective in this offense and make something good, and have fun doing it.”
Hill and Antetokounmpo started to tag team on the Cavs in the second half and still led by double-digits. In the third quarter, the Cavs managed to get within seven points. But the lead was again cut short by Hill at the start of the fourth quarter.
The test against the Cavs was a decent matchup for the Bucks in this final stretch of the season, and with just four home games remaining, the Bucks have a chance to test their strength as the top dog amongst the others heading into the playoffs.