Studs, check your closets: Maybe you hide the game ball?
The (19-7) Milwaukee Bucks had a nice little home-in-home series, winning against both Detroit and Houston. Milwaukee has won 13 straight at home. The Bucks are coming off a nice, somewhat transformative win over Indiana. It was a win that fans hope will galvanize this team and send them into a fun Christmas day game against the Knicks. That game proved this team has some “studs”.
Maybe it’ll turn out to be a good thing that Indiana tried to steal that game ball.
Milwaukee is currently the number two seed in the East. Boston and Philadelphia appear to be Milwaukee’s only competition. Those two teams also have some studs.
Milwaukee is currently second in the NBA in team scoring (124.4 points per game).
Milwaukee Bucks Studs
Damian Lillard’s Free Throw Shooting
Wow! How impactful is it to have a lights out free throw shooter at the end of games. Even after Dillon Brooks and the Rockets Head Coach got ejected and Lillard only hit 3 out of 4 free throws, was there ever any doubt?
Overall against the Rockets Lillard was a healthy 12-13 from the line.
When Milwaukee acquired Lillard fans were excited for all of the right reasons: he is a dynamic scorer. But his dependability from the free throw line has also been awesome to witness. Damian Lillard, specifically his under-recognized clutch free throw shooting makes him our first “stud”.
Related: Could the Bucks go after TJ Warren?
Khris Middleton is almost back
What a huge three with 5:30 to go! It is good to have that three point shot back.
For Middleton scoring a solid 20 points against Houston was a good sign. He really is going to be key for this team in the playoffs. Can he be a consistent three-point threat to take pressure off Giannis and Dame?
Middleton is no stranger to our stud list.
Related: NBA News- Adrian Griffin Heaps on Praise
Giannis and rebounding
Congrats tonight goes out to Giannis Antetokounmpo: he is now the franchise’s leading rebounder.
Giannis has 17 rebounds in the win against Houston.
The team did a great job hitting the glass early. With five offensive rebounds the Bucks set a good, early aggressive tone against the Rockets in the 1st quarter. At times, especially against Detroit, by rebounding the ball Milwaukee really did a nice job of controlling the tempo of the game.
Now, Giannis has all the records!
Giannis is 1 of 4 players to lead a team in PTS, REB, AST joining LeBron, MJ, and Kevin Garnett 😤
(h/t: @NBAHistory) pic.twitter.com/i47Vc5TJnD
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 18, 2023
Milwaukee Bucks Duds
Cam Payne.
Payne just didn’t have it tonight. After a really nice game against Detroit where he scored 11 points in fifteen minutes, Payne did not manage to score at all in the win against Houston.
Against Detroit Payne had two turnovers. Against Houston he did a good job of protecting the ball but to only have one assist is not enough.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Free Throw Shooting
It just continues to not look right. Giannis needs to continue to work here.
I’m certainly not a professional shooting coach but he seems to need to speed up his approach. Go up there, “boom, boom” two dribbles and shoot! He seems to get into his own head at the line.
It seems like his free-throw shooting is the only thing that keeps Giannis from being the ultimate stud.
Two Quick Game Balls Facts
~Wilson is the official supplier of NBA game balls. (Retail they go for $200 a piece.)
~A new game ball is used every game and is, again, provided by Wilson.
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