Whatever good vibes came from the Milwaukee Bucks’ upset win on Thursday were summarily executed by the six-win Brooklyn Nets in embarrassing, ugly, and unforgivable fashion. Even without Giannis, a blowout
to one of the East’s worst teams by record—not leading at any point—that’s missing Cam Thomas is inexcusable. No one Net had more than Egor Demin’s 17, while Gary Trent Jr. was the Bucks’ high man with 20.
Game Recap
Several minutes of basket-trading fueled by pretty awful interior defense from both squads began this one. Each side also had trouble maintaining possession at such a quick pace, making for a sloppy start. Doc Rivers called his first timeout after a transition layup by Demin had Milwaukee down 17-12 just over four minutes in. The Bucks’ D tightened up for a moment, and Kevin Porter Jr. took the Michael Porter Jr. assignment, but they struggled to generate quality looks during the next shift. Then more turnovers and defensive miscues helped put the Nets up by double digits in the quarter’s closing minutes. Things stood at 37-25 in favor of the home team after one.
The Bucks still couldn’t control the ball in the second, turning it over on four of their first five possessions, and were quickly down 18 thanks to an 8-2 Nets run. In fact, Brooklyn constructed a 26-10 extended run over the break. Unfocused defense, poor shot creation, and undisciplined ballhandling kept Milwaukee from getting within 17 during the ensuing action. But Kuzma took command of the offense as Brooklyn went cold, igniting a 7-0 Milwaukee run to cut the deficit to 11. That was as close as the Bucks got, however. Putting the Nets at the line, bad shot selection, no rim protection, and general sloppiness had the Bucks trailing 65-48 at half.
Despite a promising couple possessions for Milwaukee early, Brooklyn built their advantage to as much as 22 in the third’s first several minutes. Trent and Ryan Rollins tried to shoot the Bucks back into it after not taking anywhere near enough threes in the first half, but the Nets’ shooters were just hotter: they were 7/14 from deep in the period. This was actually less about bad interior defense and turnovers as compared to the second quarter, but the results were worse. Brooklyn was ahead 29 at one point, and led 99-71 entering the fourth.
Brooklyn didn’t cool off from downtown as they ticked away the final 12 minutes. After they increased their lead to 32 with 9:24 remaining, Doc had seen enough and emptied his bench, and the Nets pushed it to as high as 45, where it finished. Forty. Five.
Stat That Stood Out
Milwaukee stunk at everything tonight, but whatever chances they had to get back into the game in the second quarter were undone by turnovers. In that frame, the Nets scored eight from the Bucks coughing it up six times, and their total edge in points off turnovers ended at 30-12.
