If there were any concerns about the Milwaukee Bucks’ offense after their 90-88 win in the first game against the Philadelphia 76ers, they can be put to rest. The Bucks led the Houston Rockets from start to finish, using a 41-point first quarter to coast to a blowout victory in their home opener. Again playing without Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton, Milwaukee saw their other stars elevate their games to establish their dominance over the lowly Houston team. Due to the blowout nature of the game, Bucks’ draft picks Marjon Beauchamp and AJ Green each saw their first minutes of the season. Beauchamp, Milwaukee’s first round pick, scored his first career points in the final minute of the game. The Bucks would win the contest 125-105.
Beauchamp's first BUCKet. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/XzXFtnJgyb
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) October 23, 2022
Three Studs
Giannis Antetokounmpo
It is hard to find new ways to praise Giannis Antetokounmpo. The two-time MVP scored 44 points on 17-21 shooting, including 2-3 from three. Giannis was also 8-13 from the free throw line. While his free throw percentage continues to be one of the few weaknesses of his game, Giannis did set the Bucks’ franchise record for career made free throws.
Giannis passes Sidney Moncrief as the Bucks all-time leader in made free throws! #FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/sZE339dKEG
— Bally Sports Wisconsin (@BallySportWI) October 23, 2022
In addition to his 44 points, Giannis had 12 rebounds and three assists. Amazingly, Giannis did all of this in just 28 minutes of play.
GIANNIS. pic.twitter.com/lWrcBYyBz6
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 23, 2022
Brook Lopez
Remember when Bucks fans on social media were calling for the Bucks to trade Brook Lopez? One would hope they are not doing so anymore. After a strong first game against the 76ers, Lopez followed it up with nine points on 3-7 shooting, including 3-6 from three. Lopez made his first three 3-point attempts, but it was on the defensive end that his presence was most made-known. The veteran center had five blocked shots and was disruptive in the paint all night.
Brook Lopez racked up five blocks in the 125-105 win over the Rockets. He spoke with @melaniebricks after his dominant defensive night. #FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/z3CcBxJFXW
— Bally Sports Wisconsin (@BallySportWI) October 23, 2022
Jrue Holiday
What a difference a few days can make! After a dud performance in the Bucks’ season opener, Jrue Holiday put on a clinic in their home opener. The veteran point guard scored 19 points on 8-15 shooting, including 3-4 from three. He also added 10 assists, five rebounds, and three blocks.
Jrue Holiday is a defensive wizard 🔒
Rockets – Bucks Live Now on the NBA Apphttps://t.co/1pomR04bRi pic.twitter.com/FSPp1abvK5
— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2022
Three Duds
Whenever there is a blowout win, picks duds seems a bit nitpicky. However, it is just the second game of the season and some poor performances that may not matter now could be major issues if they are not corrected.
Jevon Carter
This is not a Jevon Carter slander piece. The fact of the matter is that if Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton were healthy, Carter may not be getting as many minutes as he is. Starting in place of a three-time All-Star is no small task. However, scoring zero points in 25 minutes while going 0-4 from the field is a bit of a disappointment. Of course, Carter is a staunch defender and is not known to be a scorer. That being said, not all games will be this “easy,” and they may need him to be better offensively at times.
Grayson Allen
Again, with Middleton and Connaughton out, the Bucks are going to need other role players to elevate their games. While Grayson Allen did not have a “bad” game per say, it certainly wasn’t one that was out of the ordinary for him. This is not to say he is a bad player, but rather that he did not elevate his play as one might have hoped in the absence of two key players. Allen finished with 11 points, but shot only 3-11 from the floor (2-7 from three).
Three Point Defense
As Bucks fans know well, three point defense has been a major weakness for the Bucks over the years. In this game, the Rockets shot over 40% from three and every single starter in their lineup shot better than 40% as well. Fortunately, the Bucks themselves shot 51% from three and were in control for the entire game. However, the Rockets are not a good team and the Bucks will have to defend the three better against more competitive opponents.
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