After that embarrassing debacle Sunday in New York, the Milwaukee Bucks came out and drubbed the Kings in a 130-115 beatdown that wasn’t as close as the final score suggests. Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered 33 PTS, 11 REB and 13 AST for his 50th career triple double, while Damian Lillard kept pace with his season averages by posting 24, 5 and 7.
It wasn’t just his four-point play or fall-away triples that imprinted Lillard’s mark on the game. Reporters asked Giannis about the galvanizing impact of his co-star’s chase-down block on a Keon Ellis shot in the first quarter.
“Vintage Dame, for sure,” the big man chuckled. “I don’t remember the last time I saw Dame block a shot. Maybe it was like 2015, 2016, somewhere around there.”
The Bucks ran away with a 47-28 first period advantage and remained in firm control from there.
All jokes aside, the win supplied a cleansing bounceback from the 34-point blowout vs the Knicks that has led many to question Milwaukee’s playoff ceiling.
Damian Lillard’s Block Ignites Energetic Evening for Milwaukee Bucks
With the Bucks up 12-11, Lillard’s block came off of a Kings defensive rebound and outlet pass to the sprinting Ellis, whose failed layup led to a missed putback by Sacramento forward Keegan Murray and a loose ball corralled by Taurean Prince. TP pushed downcourt and found Brook Lopez in the corner for a wide open transition three. Fiserv Forum roared at the sequence.
“For sure,” Giannis continued more seriously, “when your leader of the team makes that extra effort to block the shot…it fills you up with energy and your competitive spirit is high. There’s going to be a lot of times where we have to make plays like that. That’s what winning plays are about, that’s what winning teams do.”
He wasn’t altogether inaccurate in his earlier remarks about the rarity of a Lillard rejection. The block marked his fifth all season and his first since November 30.
Despite the dominant victory, Giannis didn’t talk all rainbows and sunshine, taking accountability for lapses in focus: “We can’t go complain to the ref when we miss a layup. I did it once today, Bobby [Portis] did it once. We just got to get back. Our team is looking at us, we got to set the right example.”
Antetokounmpo reiterated how Lillard’s play “set the tone for the rest of the team,” emphasizing the need for everyone else to respond with the same effort. “If Dame goes back and blocks a shot, you better spring back and make a multiple effort play, get a rebound, make something happen.”
Indeed. If Lillard, not known for his defensive hops, is taking up rim protection duties, the least others can do is mirror his hustle.
Giannis Says He and Dame Need To Set Example for Team
Before the game, each team had an impact player ruled out on the injury report–guard Malik Monk for Sacramento and Khris Middleton for the Bucks.
In Middleton’s absence, sniper reserve AJ Green put in 30 minutes of court-time and injected the offense with 16 points. Two of his twelve three-point attempts were pivotal makes in the fourth quarter to keep a late Kings run at bay.
Having guys step up in similar fashion will be crucial to the Bucks’ playoff hunt, especially if they don’t bolster the roster at the trade deadline. Certainly injuries have disrupted Milwaukee’s season, but organic inconsistency has been the greater problem.
For Giannis, it goes back to the issue of effort: “At times we are a little bit inconsistent when it comes to our effort. We got to set the tone as leaders of the team.”
This is particularly important when it comes to young players like 22-year-old guard Ryan Rollins, who contributed 10 points in 19 minutes off the bench.
“Guys are looking at us,” Giannis acknowledged. “If Ryan comes into the game and we’re BS-ing, he’s going to BS, you know, it’s human nature.”
Following the exemplary W, things won’t get any easier for the 21-17 Bucks in tonight’s back-to-back hosting Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic (23-18). When the teams met last Friday, Milwaukee fought their way to a 109-106 road triumph.
The Magic have crept back to fourth in the standings, but another win for the Deer and they can reclaim their spot.
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