Looking at the injury report, you knew it would be a tough one for the Milwaukee Bucks against the Charlotte Hornets today without Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton, among others. They just didn’t execute well enough in the clutch and fell short by a point, 115-114. Giannis Antetokounmpo had his first triple-double of the season—the fastest of his career, notching it in just 22 minutes— and Taurean Prince had first 23-point outing as a Buck, while LaMelo Ball overcame a slow start for a game-high 26.
NBA.com Box Score
Game Recap
This initially had the makings of a shootout as both teams came out hot. Birthday boy Josh Green had ten early, but Taurean Prince had a quick eight too, as the Bucks led 20-17 through just 5:14 of play. Bobby Portis returned to the floor after missing Wednesday with an elbow contusion as the second unit opened up an eight-point lead. Though two quick Hornet threes cut that to two, the Bucks then closed the quarter solidly up 39-33. Both sides combined to shoot 12/20 from beyond the arc in the first.
Portis stalled the offense by insisting on posting up a stronger Grant Williams as Charlotte tied it not even two minutes into the second. Out of a Doc Rivers timeout, the game slowed down quite a bit before Giannis checked back in. While the Hornets got a bit sloppy and the Bucks managed to regain a six-point edge, they were routinely being outhustled on the defensive glass, particularly by two-way forward Moussa Diabaté. Ten second-chance points off six offensive rebounds in the period helped Charlotte close it to 63-59 in Milwaukee’s favor at half. Prince had fifteen and Giannis was just one assist and two rebounds from his triple-double entering intermission.
While it didn’t look quite like some of their other early third-quarter troubles, Milwaukee committed some glaring defensive lapses and allowed a 13-7 Charlotte run out of the locker room, losing their lead for the first time since the game’s third minute. While the Hornets did extend it to five, better Buck execution on both ends followed to even the game back up as Giannis secured his triple-double four minutes into the frame. Neither team separated too much in the final several minutes, but a 13-5 run to end the quarter put the Bucks ahead 90-86 after three.
The Bucks briefly extended it to six but couldn’t hold onto it very long. Bad effort on the defensive glass led to no less than four second-chance opportunities, but Andre Jackson Jr., of all people, bailed them out on the other end with two catch-and-shoot threes that Charlotte dared him to shoot. Giannis reentered after a long stint waiting at the scorer’s table for a stoppage with Milwaukee up 105-101 and 5:48 remaining. Ball came alive and tied it at 107 with 3:19 left as the Bucks went cold. A Ball and-one capped off a 10-2 Charlotte run, making it a 112-109 for the home team with with 67 seconds to go. However, Pat Connaughton came up clutch with five quick points, first with a triple seventeen seconds later. Milwaukee then got a stop at the other end, and Connaughton’s lay-in put them up 114-113 with 19.1 left. Giannis then fouled Ball on the way to the hoop with the shot clock off and no fouls to give nor challenges available after Rivers used his final one seconds earlier. He sank the free throws making it 115-114 Hornets with 7.3 on the game clock. Giannis took the final shot after the timeout, and his jumper came up short.
Stat That Stood Out
It’s hard to ignore Diabeté’s ten offensive rebounds. The Michigan alum put in forth much more work than Milwaukee’s very minimal effort after Charlotte misses. Thanks in large part to him, the Hornets had an inexcusable 21-8 advantage in second-chance points.
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