The Milwaukee Bucks went 3-7 in their final ten games heading into the All-Star break. With a week off, the vibes surrounding the team were, well, not good. Even though Damian Lillard won the three-point contest and All-Star Game MVP, fans and analysts were not feeling great about the Bucks as the home stretch of the season was set to begin.
Former Bucks guard JJ Redick was highly critical of Milwaukee head coach Doc Rivers, saying that all he has done throughout his career is make excuses for losing. His rant garnered a strong response from Bucks point guard Patrick Beverley, and the two engaged in a bit of a heated social media battle.
Giannis Antetokounmpo drew criticism for saying he does not watch basketball in his free time, instead choosing to value the time he gets with his family. Lillard left Giannis off his his top-five NBA starters in an interview that was truly unserious, but added to the negativity people felt towards the team.
So when the Bucks went out and beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, the number one seed in the Western Conference, 112-107 on the road in their first game back from the All-Star break, it made as big of a statement as they could make: they are not done. They are still a force to be reckoned with. Along the way, three of their top players hit significant career milestones, too.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Is Now Second in Offensive Rebounds in Milwaukee Bucks History
The Greek Freak led Milwaukee with 33 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and a steal. Four of his rebounds came on the offensive glass, giving him 1,396 offensive rebounds for his career. He passed NBA Hall of Famer Sidney Moncrief for the second-most in franchise history.
The next one up on the list is five-time NBA All-Star Marques Johnson, whose #8 hangs in the rafters of Fiserv Forum. Now a play-by-play television analyst for the team, Johnson shared the following message Giannis gave him concerning his offensive rebound record over a week ago:
He told me “ I will let you keep the offensive rebounding record until you make the HOF, on one condition. You have to mention that in your speech.” True Story😎 https://t.co/stFdzKIPvF
— Elder Marques Johnson (@olskool888) February 14, 2024
Johnson had 1,468 offensive rebounds in his career with Milwaukee.
Milwaukee Bucks Point Guard Damian Lillard Had His 5,500th Career Assist
Lillard did not get off to a good start in Minnesota, going 1/9 from the floor and scoring just four points in the first half. However, he shot much better in the second half, and finished the game one rebound shy of a triple-double: 21 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds.
His sixth assist of the night gave him 5,500 for his career. He passed Hall of Famer Dennis Johnson for 54th on the NBA’s all-time list. Next up is Mike Bibby, who had 5,517 assists in his career.
Milwaukee Bucks Center Brook Lopez Played in His 1,000th Game
The 112-107 victory over the Timberwolves marked the 1,000th game in Brook Lopez’s career. He played 562 of them with the Brooklyn Nets, where he is still the franchise’s leading scorer. He played 74 games in his one season with the Los Angeles Lakers, and has played 362 with the Bucks.
Lopez came up big, especially early for the Bucks in their victory in Minnesota. He started the game 4/4 from three, finishing with 16 points, three rebounds, one assists, one block, and one steal.
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