DALLAS – The Milwaukee Bucks won for the sixth time in their last seven games by beating the Dallas Mavericks, 132-117, on Saturday night at the American Airlines Center. It was the first time the Bucks played the Mavericks after the controversial trade of star Luka Dončić for Anthony Davis, but Davis did not play due to injury.
The Mavericks were actually down their entire starting front court, and while it took the better part of the first half, the Bucks finally imposed their will and took control of the game in the final half of the second quarter behind Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Brook Lopez.
The Bucks held the Mavericks to 10 points in the final half of the second quarter and just 16 for the entire third as they flipped a small deficit to a 23-point lead.
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“I thought the two things, the defensive execution and the offensive; we’ve been preaching this all year — you find a set, you stay on the set, do not go away from it,” Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said. “I thought we did that three different times in the game within a different set and scored on every option. Power with Giannis in the post, just kept getting different baskets out of that, the rub pick-and-roll with Dame or Giannis coming off the five. That’s a good lesson for us. You don’t need to go to anything else if that’s working. Exhaust the options. And our shooting is what we said every night, we have great shooting.”
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The trio set up three-point looks for Gary Trent Jr. (20 points) and Taurean Prince (9) on offense and proved to be too much for the short-handed Mavericks on defense as well.
Kyrie Irving had 31 points for Dallas, but he was just 9 of 23 from the floor overall.
Milwaukee improved to 34-25 on the season — a season-best nine games over .500 — while Dallas dropped to 32-29.
“It feels good because it’s happening at the right time,” Lillard said. “As the season goes on you know that you’re gonna have adversity. It’s gonna be ups and downs. I’m just proud of our team for never giving in to the moments we’ve had. We’ve had a lot of times where it feels like we’re hitting out stride and then we have a few bumps or we have some injuries (and) we just haven’t been discouraged by it and we continue to stay together and try to find ways to grow and now being nine games over I think we’re also finding ourselves.
“We’re trusting more than we have all year. I think our spirit is as good as it’s been all year, just throughout the team and it’s happening at the right time. We gotta hold on to that and continue to build on that.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard lead Bucks to victory
Following Milwaukee’s victory over Denver on Thursday night at Fiserv Forum, head coach Doc Rivers said he felt the two-man game between stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard at the end of the game was special – and he leaned into that combination again on Saturday.
The pair rarely played without one another (Lillard got some solo minutes with the bench unit), and they combined for 57 points and 15 assists. They also combined to go 19-for-21 from the free throw line.
“Look, we have to play with one another,” Antetokounmpo said. “And (Rivers) has been like pressuring us and forcing us to play with one another and at the end of the day we have to understand that we are threats. People are worrying about Dame coming off the handoff and shooting the three, people are worrying about me going downhill. People are worrying about me when I set a screen and roll hard to the rim and Dame is able to come off and throw it up to me. Or, if the low man pre-rotate, he can throw it to the corner for an open three.
“We can make so many actions off the two-man game and right now I feel like we’re embracing it. We are doing it.”
Aside from their offense and playmaking – they came into the game as the highest scoring duo in the league at just under 57 points per game – Antetokounmpo and Lillard helped turn the game with their defensive efforts late in the second quarter and early in the third.
Then in the fourth, when Dallas clawed its way back to within a dozen, Antetokounmpo and Lillard scored 11 of the Bucks’ final 13 points, with Antetokounmpo assisting on a late Brook Lopez basket.
“We know the last five minutes, he told me, ‘Hey, come get me, it’s me and you now.’ ” Antetokounmpo said. “Or, he tells me, ‘Hey, get in the post and if they double, I’m right here.’ We talk to one another and we know when it’s go time. Sometimes it’s gonna work, sometimes it’s not gonna work, but we are doing it. We are willing to do it, and we’ve been doing it the last couple of games. Actually not the last couple of games, we’ve been doing it all year long, but the last couple of games we’re able to close some games out that way.”
Antetokounmpo finished with 29 points, nine assists and nine rebounds while Lillard had 28 points, six assists and six rebounds.
Kyle Kuzma sprains right ankle in win
Bucks starting forward Kyle Kuzma landed on a foot early in the first quarter and was clearly limping, but stayed in the game until a stoppage allowed him to run to the locker room to get some extra support on it. He played 32 minutes, but wasn’t in his typical closing spot.
“Kept going, but we were glad we didn’t have to bring him back in,” Rivers said. “I have no idea. We don’t think it’s a bad one but you don’t really know until the next day.”
Kuzma left the locker room limping, but in good spirits and with no additional support around the ankle.
Gary Trent Jr. continues hot streak off bench
Reserve guard Gary Trent Jr. came off the bench to score 20 points on 7 of 16 shooting, including a 4-for-12 mark from behind the three-point line. It was the third time in his last four games he scored at least 15 points.
“We’ve had a lot of guys step up, but I think ‘GT’s’ ability to make tough shots, to make threes and open the floor for us because of his shooting has been huge,” Damian Lillard said. “And how aggressive he’s been making shots and making things happen has been good for us.”
In his last 11 games, Trent is averaging 13.2 points per game while shooting 43.5% from behind the three-point line.
“Really just knowing where shots are going to come from, knowing when I’m going to go in, and again whether it’s 30 minutes or 18 minutes, whether it’s half the game, I’m going to go out there and try to contribute towards winning in any way I can,” he said. “That’s my main focus and goal.”
Pete Nance joins Bucks in Dallas
The Bucks added big man Pete Nance on a two-way deal on Friday and the 25-year-old was with the team in Dallas on Saturday. He was ruled out for the game against the Mavericks with a sprained left ankle suffered just over a week ago, however.
“Obviously really great players on this team that I’ve looked up to for a long time, Giannis, Dame, Brook Lopez, but them being a real good team and them being able to compete for something this year, whatever they are ranked in the East right now, they’re in a great spot,” Nance said after shootaround. “So, being able to come in and help in whatever way I can, that’s what I’m here to do and just try to learn and soak up as much as I can.”
At 6 feet, 11 inches Nance is another big body for head coach Doc Rivers to call upon if needed as Bobby Portis Jr. still has 19 games left on his suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug program.
He joins a team that a saw AJ Green earn a guaranteed contract after starting his Bucks career on a two-way contract and current two-way player Ryan Rollins has already been active for the maximum 50 games allowed.
“As a two-way player that’s what you’re looking for,” Nance said of the opportunity the Bucks have given such players. “Obviously you’re trying to take steps to potentially be in a position where you can get real playing time and get those opportunities that are rare around the league is really exciting. Obviously hoping everybody stays healthy and everything like that, but definitely always hoping for opportunity.”
Jason Kidd defines what makes Giannis ‘special’
Dallas head coach Jason Kidd, who coached the Bucks from 2014-18, was asked before the game what makes Giannis Antetokounmpo special: “We don’t have enough time. You’re talking about being a great feather, great husband, understanding the business of basketball, wants to be great, works to be great. He loves to win. And he tries to do that every night. And he’s one of the best players in the world. That’s what makes him special.”
5 numbers
20: First quarter points in the paint for the undersized Mavericks, which helped them take a 36-31 lead after one. They scored 38 more points in the paint the final three quarters.
13-13: Bucks record when playing an opponent with a .500 record or better on the day of the game.
13-16: Bucks record on the road, but they are 4-2 in their last six away from Fiserv Forum.
Rivers: “I don’t know what I like, I just know we’re coming together as a team and we’re just playing better basketball. And we’re doing things you have to do on the road, taking care of the road, not fouling too much, rebounding, executing on offense. You have to do that on the road or you lose games and we’re starting to do that.”
Lillard: “Just that it’s something that we’re aware of, our struggles on the road. And the conversation within our team has been ‘let’s take the show on the road.’ I think we’ve had comeback wins at home, we’ve had wins over good teams at home, big nights at home, and then we have let downs on the road.”
The Bucks are currently the only playoff team (a top six seed) in the Eastern Conference with a losing mark on the road, and they have not been .500 away from Fiserv Forum this season since starting the year 1-1 on Oct. 27. They were 18-22 on the road last season. From 2018-23 they were one of the best teams on the road in the NBA, compiling a 123-74 (62.4%) record away from Milwaukee.
Antetokounmpo: “We have to win on the road. Like, at home we are good. Energy, I don’t know why. We sleep better. We sleep in our own bed. We’re able to be with our family. Maybe we eat some good food. I eat my mom’s cooking. So, maybe at home I play better. But now it’s on the road. We have to be better on the road. We haven’t been good at all on the road this year. This is a big build game. Hopefully we can go to Atlanta and build off this. But in order for you to win something, win a series, or win a championship you have to be able to build good habits and win on the road. That’s all I care about. This is a great win on the road, and now we have to build off it. If we are nine games over .500 or two games over .500, it doesn’t matter — we just gotta figure out ways to win on the road and we’re gonna put ourselves in a position to be successful in the playoffs.”
28-10: Run to end the second quarter by the Bucks, flipping a 10-point deficit to a 71-63 lead at halftime. It coincided with the return of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Brook Lopez to the court. The trio combined for 20 of those points. Antetokounmpo and Lillard closed the half with 13 straight points.
Is Giannis playing?
Antetokounmpo is probable to play against the Mavericks as he continues to manage a left calf strain. He has been on a minute restriction that has kept him to about 32 minutes per game since the all-star break.
Damian Lillard’s hamstring once again bothering him
All-star point guard Damian Lillard reappeared on the Bucks’ injury report after Thursday’s game with soreness in his right hamstring.
He first strained that muscle back on Feb. 9, played through it on Feb. 10 before ultimately sitting out Feb. 12 heading into the all-star break. He participated in all-star weekend events Feb. 15-16 and then missed the Feb. 21 game in Washington to manage the injury. It appeared he was fully cleared afterward, playing his typical minutes workload the last three games. He played 35 minutes against the Nuggets on Thursday in Milwaukee, but attempted just nine shots.
Mavericks’ big men are injured
Not only is Anthony Davis out for Dallas, but they are also without centers Dereck Lively II (right ankle stress fracture) and Daniel Gafford (right knee sprain) while forward P.J. Washington is questionable to play with a right ankle sprain.
Even if Antetokounmpo remains on the minute restriction for the game, the Bucks have a clear size advantage over the Mavericks.
What time is the Bucks game?
The contest is schedule to tip off a little later tonight, beginning at 7:30 p.m. CT.
What channel is the Bucks game on?
The game will be broadcast locally on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin with Lisa Byington, Steve Novak and Melanie Ricks on the call.
Bucks injury report
- Pat Connaughton, out (left calf strain)
- Bobby Portis Jr., out (league suspension)
- Pete Nance, out (left ankle sprain)
- Gary Trent Jr., questionable (non-COVID illness)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, probable (left calf strain)
- Damian Lillard, probable (right hamstring soreness)
Bucks starters
- Guards: Damian Lillard, Taurean Prince
- Forwards: Kyle Kuzma, Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Center: Brook Lopez
Bucks vs. Mavericks odds, over/under
Milwaukee is a 3.5-point favorite over Dallas, and the over/under is set at 227.5 points per BetMGM.
