Beaten for the first time in five games, the Cavaliers may have seen their path to a true title contender tonight in their 117-102 loss at Milwaukee.
While leading by 11 points at halftime, after even counting up to 16 points ahead, Donovan Mitchell’s teammates suffered the sudden revolt of the Bucks. In eight minutes, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s teammates sign a 23-2! Discreet until then because of the faults, Jrue Holiday takes the match on his own, in attack as in defense. In the second curtain, Brook Lopez plays the scarecrows, and Giannis Antetokounmpo takes advantage of the spaces to score with the fault. The Cavaliers are KO standing, to the point of registering only 10 points in the 3rd quarter.
With a 14-point lead at the start of the last quarter, the Bucks can see it coming, and it’s Giannis who takes care of maintaining the gap, with even a 3-point and shots (103-86) . And when Donovan Mitchell maintains a small hope, the Holiday-Carter-Matthews trio signs an 8-0 to pass the gap to +22 (111-89) at the start of “money time”. A last “run” which marks the beginning of the “garbage time” with the entry of the substitutes.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– A one-sided 3rd Quarter. It’s the first time since 2019 that the Bucks have held an opponent below 15 points in a quarter. It all started from the backs with an ultra-aggressive Holiday-Carter tandem on Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, and especially the huge coverage of Brook Lopez. Stops create quick play opportunities, and Giannis enjoyed it.
– Lots of absentees… This beautiful poster was amputated by many major players. In Milwaukee, still no Khris Middleton, nor Pat Connaughton. The Cavaliers were missing Kevin Love and Caris LeVert, and to make matters worse, Jarrett Allen injured his hip after contact with Giannis.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Giannis Antetokounmpo. Angry for several matches with his free throws, the “Greek Freak” took revenge on the Cavaliers with a nice 10 of 14 on the line. Another full game, without forcing, with 38 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists at 65% on shots.
✅ Brook Lopez. The “game changer” by his intimidation and his counterattacks in the second half. The Cavaliers, certainly deprived of Jarrett Allen or a Kevin Love who could have taken him away from the circle, impaled themselves on him.
✅ Donovan Mitchell. The most consistent of the Cavaliers with his 29 points on 11 of 24 on shots. Unlike Garland, he did not crack under the pressure after the break, and he maintained a small hope in the 4th quarter.
⛔️ Evan Mobley. The talented interior of the Cavaliers had a complicated evening against Lopez. Deprived of Jarrett Allen, he found himself alone against the power of the “frontline” of the Bucks.
THE FOLLOWING
Milwaukee (13-5) : reception of the Mavericks on Sunday evening.
Cleveland (12-7) : trip to Detroit on Sunday.
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