The Milwaukee Bucks got their lick back, taking down the Charlotte Hornets to improve to 2-0 in NBA Cup group play, 147-134, after losing on Wednesday in Charlotte without Giannis Antetokounmpo. Read our
full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast Bucks In Six Minutes below.
Player Grades
Giannis Antetokounmpo
40 minutes, 25 points, 18 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 7 turnovers, 12/18 FG, 1/3 FT +18
Giannis assumed the role of playmaker last night, with an NBA season-high of 18 assists. There were some moments where he could’ve made a pass, including the shot at the end of regulation. Yet, you can’t argue with a near 25-20 game out of your 6’11” power forward, and you get the win.
Grade: A-
Myles Turner
Statline: 33 minutes, 18 points, 3 rebounds, 6/9 FG, 6/8 3PT, +27
This might have been Turner’s best offensive game as a Buck. While he scored more against the Chicago Bulls last Friday (23 points), he was not only more efficient in this one, but he also came through in big moments. The biggest shots, of course, were his back-to-back threes in overtime.
Grade: B+
Ryan Rollins
34 minutes, 20 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 8/12 FG, 4/6 3PT, +26
Rollins is never afraid to take the big shot, and Doc Rivers even commented on that during the post-game interview. Rollins hit timely shots and played some solid defense on LaMelo Ball.
Grade: B+
Kyle Kuzma
39 minutes, 29 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 11/17 FG, 2/4 3PT, 5/7 FT, +25
The Kuzma reclamation project is back on track. After a rough game on Wednesday against the Hornets, Kuzma came back strong in his first start of the season. Even though Kyle scored the ball as much as he did, he said he was more excited to have the four steals.
Grade: A+
AJ Green
Statline: 26 minutes, 13 points, 2 assists, 2/4 3PT, 7/7 FT, +25
It had been a rough go for Dairy Bird over the previous few games heading into last night. Hopefully, this game can get him going. He seemed to reclaim some of the rhythm in his shot and was fouled on two three-pointers.
Grade: B
Gary Trent Jr.
Statline: 21 minutes, 8 points, 3/5 FG, -15
This is one of those games where +/- isn’t always the most reliable stat in the world. Trent was solid, but there were times when he was just gambling for steals, as if he were already in Las Vegas for the NBA Cup Finals. It put him out of position, leading to some easy baskets for the Hornets.
Grade: C+
Bobby Portis
Statline: 19 minutes, 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 4/7 FG, 2/4 3PT, -11
Doc talked pre-game about how much Bobby’s shot selection has improved, and it showed tonight. I didn’t see him take one mid-range fading jumper, which is a massive step for him. He was hitting layups, hook shots, and a couple of threes—precisely what you want out of BP.
Grade: B
Cole Anthony
Statline: 19 minutes, 10 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 4 turnovers, 4/7 FG, -13
This was a frustrating game to watch out of Anthony; it felt like a microcosm of his season so far. There are moments of brilliance in the pick-and-roll or in general play, but there are other times where, on back-to-back possessions, he dribbles the ball into a bad mid-range shot and then turns it over trying to get it to Giannis. He’s got to level out the highs and lows.
Grade: C
Gary Harris
Statline: 23 minutes, 10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 4/5 FG, 2/3 3PT, -12
Harris made the most out of his first opportunity to get some real playing time this season. He hit some much-needed three-pointers and was one of the better defenders on the Hornets’ guards.
Grade: A-
Jerhico Sims
Statline: 10 minutes, 2 points, 3 rebounds, 2 turnovers, 1/1 FG, -5
Sims also got more PT than he’d been getting, and he was decent in his time on the court. He rebounded well, and his first basket of the season was, of course, a put-back dunk.
Grade: C+
Doc Rivers
This grade would have been a lot worse if the Bucks had lost the game. The decision twice to run a full bench lineup nearly cost them the game. Milwaukee had a seven-point lead in the first quarter, and it evaporated almost instantaneously. Although that lineup performed better in the third quarter, it was still a perplexing decision to go back to it.
Grade: C+
Garbage Time: Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Andre Jackson Jr., Mark Sears,
DNP-CD: Amir Coffey
Inactive: Kevin Porter Jr., Taurean Prince, Pete Nance, Alex Antetokounmpo
Bonus Bucks Bits
- Doc Rivers said pre-game that the reason he went with Kuzma over Trent in the starting lineup was the need for size defensively, and it helps on offense:
“I love Kuz with that group because when Giannis gets trapped, Kuz is the cutter now, and we leave Myles out where the five is uncomfortable, and it really paid dividends in overtime, where Myles got those threes.”
- Turner commented on the change in the starting lineup, both in how Trent handled it and what it was like to work through it in real time:
“It was good on him to accept that role, come off the bench and be a scorer in that way. Kuz has been playing unbeliveable basketball and he’s made some great plays for us.”
“That’s just NBA basketball. I think it’s so early in the season that now is the time to experiment. Kuz has got eyes in the back of his head; he sees a lot of things… He’s a great distributor, for his size, he’s so athletic, gets out and runs, guards guards, and he’s just playing unbelievable basketball right now.”
- Gary Harris, who saw his first significant action of the season since joining the Bucks, talked about how it felt to make such an impact in this moment:
“It feels good, espically as you get out there and help the guys. It’s an imporant game, so for us to get a Cup win, that makes things even better.”
“Just being a professional, come in and do your job and put the work in every single day, being a great teammate and just trying to help out my teammates when I can, letting them know what I see on the floor.”
- The Bucks are now 10-0 all-time in NBA Cup group play games and 14-1 in all NBA Cup games.
- It’s the first time since Dec. 5, 2023, against the New York Knicks, where the Bucks have scored over 140 points and shot at least 60% from the field (146, 60.4%). Milwaukee scored 147 and shot 64.7% last night against Charlotte.
- This was also the second time this season that the Bucks have had eight players score in double figures. The last time was Oct. 30, against the Golden State Warriors, in a 120-110 victory.
Up Next
The Bucks are back in action today, as they’ll play host to the Los Angeles Lakers at Fiserv Forum. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Central and will be available on cable via FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin and NBA TV. If you are using an antenna in the Milwaukee area, you can watch the Bucks on CBS 58, the first of eight games this season that will be broadcast over the air.
