The Nuggets use a strong third quarter to defeat the tired Bucks 129-106

On Saturday night at Ball Arena, the best team in the Western Conference defeated the best team in the Eastern Conference, with the Denver Nuggets defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 129-106.

Milwaukee led by as many as 10 points in the first half, but trailed 97-85 at the half.

The Bucks fell to 53-21, which is still the best record in the NBA. The Nuggets improved to 50-24 with their third consecutive victory.

Third quarter earnings in Bucks
The Bucks played quickly (11 fast break points), moved the ball (18 assists), and made shots (26 for 46, 56.5%) in the first 24 minutes of action, taking a 66-63 lead. They worked hard on the defensive glass, allowing the Nuggets only four second-chance points. They were careful with the ball, committing only two turnovers. They appeared sharp and assured.

But the Nuggets hung in there, making 51.1% of their shots thanks to 20 points from Jamal Murray, and they never let the Bucks extend their lead.

The Nuggets outscored the Bucks 34-19 in the third quarter to take control of the game.

“They just showed up prepared,” Khris Middleton explained. “I think we got off to a good start. They just won the entire second half in so many different ways that it happens; we just have to learn from it and try not to let it happen again.”

Milwaukee turned the ball over five times in the third quarter, made only seven shots (one of which was a three-pointer), and the Nuggets shot 10 for 19 from the field and 5 for 10 from behind the three-point line.

“I think always credit to their defense, credit to them, I think their activity was good,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “I think we just felt like we needed to move it a little bit more, move people a little bit more, and have better spacing.” And I believe we had some shots that you had to take.

“Thank you, Denver.” They performed admirably in the third and fourth quarters. They simply outplayed us in the second half. “We can do better.”

MVP duel: Giannis vs. Joki

Budenholzer stated before the game that defending Joki was “impossible.”

The primary goal of the Nuggets, according to head coach Michael Malone, is to take Antetokounmpo away from the team.

The last two MVPs from the previous four seasons are once again favorites to win the league’s top individual honor, and it was the first and only time the pair faced off in the regular season. It was also only the seventh time the two had played together since Antetokounmpo became an MVP and Joki became an all-star in 2018-19.

Denver improved to 4-3 in those games with the victory.

In the first half, Antetokounmpo imposed his will as a scorer, scoring 24 points on 11-of-14 shooting. Eight of those points came on fast breaks, and the other twenty came in the paint, where he went 10 for ten. The Nuggets naturally threw multiple defenders at him, encircling him at times, to try to limit his angles of attack, but he still found ways to get open, despite having a few passes deflected.

“You have to give credit where credit is due – they’re a big team,” Antetokounmpo said. “They are long. Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr., and Joki form a formidable team. Both yes and no. They were getting into the passing lanes at times, and I was able to get the right pass.”

Joki, on the other hand, was essentially going up against Lopez and Portis’s single coverage. In the first half, he scored 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting and drew three fouls on Lopez, going 5 for 5 from the free throw line. He also contributed five assists.

“You just want to make things difficult for him,” Lopez explained. “Obviously, he’s very talented offensively, so you just want to make things as difficult as possible while also being smart, because he’s great at drawing fouls and getting to the line.”

“I value your trust” (to guard him one-on-one). It’s a fantastic challenge, and I’m up for it. I’ll be there. The Nuggets are obviously great when they get the ball moving; they have a lot of guys who can shoot and score, and their entire offense is led by Joki, who is great at moving the ball and finding those guys, so you want to try to limit that as much as possible.”

However, Antetokounmpo was just 2 for 7 and had three turnovers in the decisive third quarter, while Joki scored 12 points, handed out three assists, and sent Lopez to the bench with four fouls. Joki also coaxed Portis into a transition take and two technical fouls for a crucial five-point possession.

In 32 minutes, Antetokounmpo scored 31 points on 13-of-22 shooting. He also grabbed nine rebounds and dished out four assists. He sat when the Bucks’ starters were pulled with just under six minutes remaining and a 20-point deficit.

Joki finished with 31 points on 10-of-20 shooting, 11 assists, and six rebounds. He was also 10 for 11 from the charity stripe.

In the three games in which the Bucks defeated the Nuggets, they held Joki to six or fewer assists.

The mile-high factor
As opposing teams enter Ball Arena from the loading dock, they are greeted by a sign indicating the altitude at which they will be playing that evening: The elevation is 5,280 feet above sea level.

It’s a significant advantage for the Nuggets, who entered the game with the league’s second-best home record (30-6).

The Nuggets, on the other hand, had been 3-5 since March 8, but they had a scheduling advantage over the Bucks in that they hadn’t played since Wednesday. Malone did mention that his team hadn’t played at home since March 12, and that he hoped the altitude adjustment wouldn’t be too difficult.

Milwaukee, on the other hand, played its third game in three days in three different cities on the second night of a back-to-back. Grayson Allen and Jae Crowder, who played for the Utah Jazz and spent enough time in the Western Conference to get a feel for the thin air in Denver, said there is no way to prepare for it.

Wesley Matthews, who spent one year in Utah and nearly 11 full seasons in the Western Conference, agreed, noting that the lungs are the most affected, and it then becomes a battle between mind and body.

But no Bucks player would admit it had anything to do with the loss.

“Whether we’re fresh or not, we love competing against the best,” Middleton said. “We played tonight after a back-to-back, but we have to be better.” There are no excuses for this. I’m sure there are a lot of fans and people out there who would like to see healthy teams or teams that are not on back-to-backs play the top teams in each conference.”

In the first half, the Bucks went nine deep, with eight players all playing at least 11 minutes and Jevon Carter playing just under seven. The combinations seemed to give the Bucks some life in the first half, as they pushed the pace offensively, making 56.5% (26 for 46) of their shots and scoring 11 points on the break.

However, the Bucks appeared to lose steam in the second half. They scored 19 third-quarter points on 7-of-25 (28% shooting). The Nuggets took advantage of the lapse and blew the game open.

“Forget the three in four, back-to-back, and altitude – they’re a fantastic team,” Pat Connaughton said. “This is a really difficult place to play, and it’s not just because of the altitude; it’s also because they have a great team.”

“Our next level is about getting good shots and forcing teams to guard multiple actions even when we’re not hitting them.” Tonight, I thought it was human nature; things don’t always go as planned, and I thought we lost a little bit of our cool for whatever reason. The crowd was into it, the team was making shots, we weren’t, and there was some chippiness out there.

“It was a fun game to participate in.” It wasn’t a fun game with the outcome as the third and fourth quarters progressed, but I believe we’ll learn from it.”

Five digits
1 The Bucks made five three-pointers in the decisive third quarter to the Nuggets’ five.

The Bucks were called for 3 technical fouls (Portis, Lopez from the bench, Antetokounmpo while officials reviewed one of his personal fouls).

“It was a grumpy night,” Budenholzer says. It occurs. I believe Denver deserves credit. They performed admirably. We didn’t give it our all. You always want things to be a little different, but it never happens. We’ll take it and prepare for our next game.”

“Just emotions,” says Middleton. Male competitors. Frustrated with the way the game was going, what with the whistle and all. It’s a wild environment out there, but it’s a fun place to play. But it just goes to show that men want it. We intend to win. It’s not often that our emotions translate into technical fouls, so I guess it was just one of those nights where guys got it out of the way. Fortunately, I don’t believe those technologies had as much of an impact on the game.”

The Bucks must win seven games to secure the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference (combination of Milwaukee wins and Boston losses).

The Bucks have a 9-2 record in the second game of a back-to-back.

When the Big Three play, the Bucks are 18-5.

Giannis’ insane tip-in is the game’s video.

Antetokounmpo spent the entire first half at – and above – the rim against the Nuggets, but his most impressive basket was a remarkable feat of athleticism and touch as he somehow tapped a too-high Khris Middleton lob attempt into the basket while also avoiding contact with the backboard.

Khris Middleton’s steal and layup were game-winning plays.

While not the game’s most memorable moment, this is the play of the game for the Bucks because of what it means for the future. Middleton has been averaging over 20 points and 7 assists in 30-plus minutes per game through March, but this defense-to-offense sequence showed a burst of speed for the three-time all-star. He first intercepted a pass through contact before gathering himself, maneuvering around a defender, and exploding down the lane for a layup. If Middleton is feeling this good, it’s a great sign for the Bucks.