There is no question it has been an exciting Bucks season so far. The Bucks are atop the NBA standings with a 53-12 record as we wait for the season to resume. So, how about we take a look at some of the best moments from this amazing season so far? Below I ranked the top 5 Bucks moments from the 2019-20 season (so far).
Before jumping into the rankings, I wanted to briefly describe my criteria for this list. I have decided to leave off any individual game performances, and instead focus on specific game moments and overall team performances. So as great as Giannis’ and Khris’ 50-point games were, they will not be on this list.
5. Giannis tip-in buzzer beater (10/26/19)
With the Bucks trailing 120-116 with under 10 seconds remaining in their home opener, Giannis went into clutch mode. He quickly ran up the court and converted a three-point play to pull within 1, and after a Miami free throw the Bucks trailed 121-119 with 3 seconds left. Khris Middleton threw up a contensted three that fell short, but Giannis timed it perfectly and tipped it in as the buzzer sounded to send the game into OT.
This was one of the few games this season that actually went right down to the wire for the Bucks, so it was certainly one of the more exciting plays and moments of the season. The only reason it isn’t higher on this list is because the Bucks ended up losing (thanks in part to a horrible call that fouled Giannis out of the game), but that is a discussion for another day. Let’s continue the list.
4. Bucks blow out Thunder (02/28/20)
With 5 minutes remaining in the 2nd quarter, the Bucks had a 3 point lead.
They ended up winning by 47 points.
There were many things that made this game so great; The Thunder were on a 5-game winning streak and just 3.5 games out of the 2nd seed in the West, the Bucks tied the NBA record for most 40-point victories in a season with three, the Bucks had their 7th largest margin-of-victory in a game EVER, and, probably most importantly, this game was the same day that James Harden came out and said that Giannis has “no skill.”
Giannis just flat-out took over the game at the end of the 2nd quarter and never looked back. He ended up with 32 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists in only 27 minutes, and this was a statement victory not only for the team, but also for their best player.
3. Giannis gets revenge on Caboclo (12/13/19)
It is not often that Giannis trash-talks during games and targets a specific player, but he had this particular person on his radar since the summer.
With the Bucks trailing by 1 in the 4th quarter against the Grizzlies, Giannis threw down a huge poster on Bruno Caboclo. What happened afterwards is what surprised many. Giannis ran after Caboclo down the floor, yelling “On your f***ing head!” and getting right in his face. Antetokounmpo received a rare technical foul, which luckily did not cost the Bucks in the end, as they ended up winning 127-114.
After the game, Giannis revealed that he had this game marked on his calendar since the summer, when he and Caboclo faced off against each other at the World Cup. Caboclo, playing for Brazil at the time, had defended Giannis well all game, and in the final seconds he blocked a potential game-tying dunk from Giannis and stared him down afterwards. Caboclo was then deemed the “Gianis stopper” by many at the time. In a way that few players can, Giannis stored that moment and used it as motivation to make a statement. RIP Bruno Caboclo.
2. Bucks beat Lakers, Giannis hits 5 threes (12/19/19)
If you’re a Bucks fan, there are two things that really annoy you: big-market teams stealing the spotlight that the Bucks deserve, and people making fun of Giannis’ shooting. So, there was nothing more satisfying than watching Giannis hit 5 threes as the Bucks beat the Lakers in December. He finished with 34 points, and after his fifth three, he winked at the camera and crowned himself. That pretty much sums up how awesome this game was.
1. Bucks go on 18-game winning streak
This streak was such a huge part of the season that I am deciding to count it as one “moment.” After the Bucks lost on a buzzer beater in Utah on November 8th, they were 6-3 and not showing any signs of being the best team in the league yet. The next 5 weeks are what made everyone take notice. They rattled off 18 wins in a row (10 of them by double digits) and solidified themselves as the team to beat in the NBA.
The Bucks outscored their opponents by a total of 287 points over those 18 games, which averages out to nearly 16 points per game. Also, over the last 8 games of the streak, they outscored their opponents by nearly 24 points per game, won back-to-back games by 40+ points, won four straight games by 24+ points, and beat the fully healthy Clippers by 28. Translation: Bucks = good.
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