Giannis Antetokounmpo stuffs field rating, however closing video games a priority as Bucks lose to Rockets

MILWAUKEE – Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks know Kevin Durant’s offensive exploits properly.

While present Bucks head coach Doc Rivers was not in cost in Milwaukee on the time, he remembered Durant’s clutch jumper within the fourth quarter of Game 7 of the Bucks’ second-round collection in opposition to the Brooklyn Nets in 2021 when requested about it earlier than Sunday’s sport. As everybody is aware of, Durant’s foot was on the road, and fairly than win the sport, Durant despatched it to extra time, the place the Bucks beat the Nets and finally went on to win the franchise’s second NBA title, the group’s first since 1971.

In that traditional playoff matchup, Antetokounmpo knocked down a hook shot to tie the sport with simply over a minute left, after which Khris Middleton hit a fadeaway jumper to provide the Bucks the lead two possessions later. In the fourth quarter, Jrue Holiday made a number of clutch jumpers to maintain the Bucks within the sport.

But Middleton and Holiday are now not in Milwaukee, and neither is Damian Lillard, who served as Antetokounmpo’s operating mate for the final two seasons with the Bucks.

Now, in clutch time for the Bucks this season, it will be all about Antetokounmpo. He made that work earlier within the week with a fadeaway buzzer-beater to beat the Indiana Pacers, however that very same degree of execution was not there Sunday because the Bucks let a fourth-quarter lead slip away because the Rockets pulled out a 122-115 win.

“They’re a good team, but this was a game that I thought was very winnable for us,” Rivers mentioned. “It was frustrating. I thought we didn’t execute offensively at all. The ball stopped moving.”

To Rivers’ level, the Bucks assisted on 18 of their 24 made baskets within the first half. In the third quarter, they recorded solely two assists on eight made baskets. In the fourth quarter, 5 of the Bucks’ 12 made baskets had been assisted.

The Rockets closed Sunday’s sport on a 22-9 run. To win the sport, the Rockets turned to Durant. The 37-year-old ahead was at his greatest within the clutch, scoring seven factors and dispensing three assists within the remaining 5 minutes to finish Sunday’s sport with 31 factors, three rebounds and 7 assists.

Despite placing collectively one other spectacular and dominant efficiency with 37 factors, eight rebounds and three assists, Antetokounmpo couldn’t discover that very same degree of manufacturing in clutch time. In the ultimate 5 minutes, Antetokounmpo made just one basket, went 2-of-6 from the free throw line, dedicated one turnover on a picked-off move to Kyle Kuzma and bought credited for one more turnover on an offensive goaltending name.

The ball motion that had shredded the Rockets’ protection within the first half disappeared down the stretch for the Bucks.

“I think we just gotta do a better job just moving the ball,” Antetokounmpo mentioned. “The ball was sticking a lot. Even when I had the ball, guys were not moving, our spacing was not good.

“We have to play the way we play through the first three quarters. Obviously, I know it’s the fourth quarter, you gotta be smarter, but we gotta keep on playing with pace, good spacing, guys gotta get in the paint and just be smarter down the stretch.”

Look at this clutch-time possession from the Bucks.

It is feasible that the Rockets dedicated a foul that went uncalled on that shot try, however Antetokounmpo nonetheless made the choice to aim to attain whereas surrounded by three defenders. The Bucks’ spacing won’t have been as deadly in that second with Kuzma within the sport as a substitute of AJ Green to place extra dimension on Durant on the opposite finish of the ground, however Antetokounmpo had drawn greater than sufficient consideration to create a shot for one in every of his teammates.

A couple of minutes later, Antetokounmpo noticed one other double group. On that play, he determined to search for a teammate, however that move was intercepted by Amen Thompson.

“I just saw Kuz, but Thompson is an elite athlete who is able to cover space really quick and get to the pass,” Antetokounmpo mentioned. “It was a great read by Thompson. He was able to cover space really, really quick. You just gotta give him credit.”

For the Bucks, these rising pains will virtually actually be part of this season. Outside of Antetokounmpo, they don’t have playmakers and shot creators who’ve performed within the largest NBA moments, so the group must be taught the way it desires to go about closing out video games. The Bucks might want to work out the actions they will lean on and the gamers who could make performs down the stretch.

“We didn’t execute as well (as them),” Antetokounmpo mentioned. “The ball was sticking a lot… Whenever we were double-teaming or trapping the pick-and-roll, they were moving the ball, finding the open man. They were able to make some shots and we did the complete opposite.”

Durant, one of many biggest offensive weapons in NBA historical past, could also be too excessive a bar for the Bucks to purpose for in the case of clutch offensive manufacturing, however they might want to get higher in these moments as they transfer ahead this season.

Clutch efficiency can outline a season. They may be the performs that assist a group outperform what is anticipated of them or be the performs that preserve them from reaching their fullest potential.