The Milwaukee Bucks believed their defense was improving, despite their initial struggles to win games under new coach Doc Rivers. They are now releasing evidence to back up their claims.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 36 points, 18 rebounds, and five assists as the Bucks defeated the Denver Nuggets 112-95 on Monday night, demonstrating their improved defense. For the first time this season, the Bucks have allowed fewer than 100 points in consecutive games.
“Right now, we are trying to kind of help one another defensively and just make it as tough as possible,” Antetokounmpo told reporters. “This is team defense.” Nobody can do anything by themselves. Right now, I believe we are buying into that philosophy as a team.”
After losing five of their first six games under Rivers, including a 113-107 loss to Denver in his Milwaukee debut, the Bucks have won two straight by a combined total of 53 points.
This thrashing of the current NBA champions came after Milwaukee’s season-high 120-84 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
“Our entire staff, they’re doing a great job of just calling everything out,” Damian Lillard said. “They’re challenging us in a variety of ways, including communication, physicality, and group dynamics. We’re looking for our identity. “Who do we want to be?”
Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists, but he didn’t get much support on a night when two teammates were injured. Aaron Gordon had 14 points and Michael Porter Jr. had 11. Denver’s Jamal Murray scored three points in 18 minutes before leaving out the second half with shin splints. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope played only nine minutes before leaving with stiffness in his right hamstring, which had led him to miss the Nuggets’ previous two games.
Lillard led the Bucks with 18 points, while Bobby Portis had 13 before being dismissed with 4:54 remaining. Antetokounmpo’s 18 rebounds tied his season high.
The Nuggets suffered their second loss in a row. They were playing three nights after a 135-106 loss to Sacramento, which ended their three-game winning streak.
“I think for me as a head coach, I’ve got to make sure I am not overreacting and panicking while also that delicate balance of holding (them) accountable and letting them know how we’re playing right now these last two games is not good enough,” Michael Malone, the head coach of the Denver Nuggets, “We’ve got an opportunity to go home and right the ship before we go into the break.”
Denver trailed 13-2 in the opening 4½ minutes, but recovered to lead 23-21 after Reggie Jackson’s basket with 1:50 left in the first quarter.
However, the Nuggets added just one more basket during a nearly seven-minute stretch in which the Bucks went on a 22-3 run to take a 43-26 lead.
Milwaukee took the lead by scoring the final seven points of the first quarter, when Antetokounmpo and Lillard were on the bench after picking up two early fouls. The Bucks then scored the first seven points of the second session, beginning with Antetokounmpo’s one-handed slam off a pass from Pat Connaughton.
The Bucks ended the 22-3 run with a Portis one-handed slam off a pass from Lillard. Milwaukee led by as many as 22 points in the second quarter and was up 60-44 at halftime.
Milwaukee increased its advantage to 28 in the closing minute of the third quarter with another Portis slam. That dunk earned in Portis’ first of two technical fouls, and he was ejected.
