The Milwaukee Bucks move on!  Giannis Antetokounmpo and company stay hot in the second half to knock out Julius Randle and the New York Knicks with a final score of 146-122.  This win advances the Bucks to the Semi-Final of the first ever In-Season Tournament.  

This was a team win for Milwaukee, where everyone stepped up to the plate and played their role.  The Bucks 146 total points was the most they have put up in a single game all season.

Julius Randle Explodes for 41 Points in Loss to the Milwaukee Bucks

New York may have struggled on the defensive end of this game, but Julius Randle was on fire from start to finish.  Randle finished with 41 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists while shooting 14-19 from the field.

The other All-Star for the Knicks didn’t have as much success offensively.  Jalen Brunson, who had 45 points in the previous game versus Milwaukee, had 24 points and 6 assists in tonight’s matchup, shooting 0-5 from behind the arc.  Limiting Brunson on offense was a huge factor in the Bucks success down the stretch of this game.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Continues to Showcase Dominance

Giannis took just ONE DRIBBLE on this fast break slam 😱 pic.twitter.com/YxeSvWXjUf

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 6, 2023

Giannis Antetokounmpo had another commanding performance tonight versus the Knicks.  Dropping a near triple-double with 35 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists.  He also added 3 steals on the defensive end.  This is Antetokounmpo’s fourth 30-plus point performance in his last five games.

Damian Lillard also had an efficient night on offense, scoring 28 points and 7 assists while making 5 out of 7 three-point attempts.   The addition of Lillard has opened up the rest of the floor for Milwaukee.  Just ask Malik Beasley, who added 18 points shooting 6-10 from behind the arc in last night’s contest.

Lillard’s chemistry with Giannis is growing every game.  These two have the opportunity to do some special things as a duo moving forward.

Unexpected Bench Player Shines for Milwaukee in First Quarter

While Lillard and Antetokounmpo were on their game tonight, the Bucks bench played a big role in Milwaukee’s victory.   Pat Connaughton and Jae Crowder were ruled out of the game on Monday, so it was up to the bench to step up.

AJ Green, who went undrafted in 2022 out of Northern Iowa, checked into the game with five minutes left in the first quarter.  He made the most of his opportunity, hitting three triples in a row which kept Milwaukee ahead early in the game.

While it was definitely unexpected to see Green in the game, his three triples in 15 minutes of action were valuable with Connaughton and Crowder on the sidelines with injuries.  Cameron Payne stepped up big as well, adding 12 points off the bench shooting 5-6 from the field.

Giannis bets on himself on the court and the roulette table 🤑

(via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/tVSj1Hcipl

— FanDuel Casino (@FanDuelCasino) December 6, 2023

The Milwaukee Bucks will now take a trip to Las Vegas, where they will meet Tyrese Haliburton the red-hot Indiana Pacers in the Semi-Final of the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament.  The Pacers knocked out the Boston Celtics on Monday with a score of 115-105 and are currently the highest scoring team in the NBA.

Coverage for the Semi-Final matchup will take place on Thursday at 5:00 PM Eastern Time on ESPN.

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