Rapid Recap: Bucks 123, Cavaliers 105

It took a little longer to arrive than usual, but the Milwaukee Bucks grinder out a big win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, 123-105.

NBA.com Box Score

The first quarter was rough to watch; the Bucks did not hit a three pointer (0/7) and Giannis Antetokounmpo got called for a pair of offensive fouls in the first five minutes. Still, turnovers were abundant for both sides and the Bucks were only staring at a 33-26 deficit. It wasn’t good, but it could have been a lot worse!

The Bucks were able to ride some easy looks at the rim and some Bobby Portis jumpers to close the gap in the second quarter, and eventually take a lead late in the third. Watching the game was far different than following via the box score; the viewing experience was just ugly.

Stat That Stood Out

It became evident early on that the Bucks would not be able to leverage their shooting upgrades in this contest. Perhaps it had something to do with having arrived in Cleveland less than 12 hours before tip-off, or perhaps they were just off, but Milwaukee was simply not dialed in on their jumpers. To their credit, they bludgeoned the Cavs inside and maintained a methodical approach to generating shots at the rim. With only seven made 3s through the competitive stretch of the fourth quarter, Milwaukee earned 74 points in the paint, over 60 percent of their total offensive production. It wasn’t pretty, but it was effective.

And we get to do it all over again tomorrow. Hooray...

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