Rapid Recap: Bucks 123, Timberwolves 114

Well, that was a sight for sore eyes. Returning home for the first time in nearly two weeks, the Milwaukee Bucks snapped a four-game skid with a nine-point victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night. Giannis notched a fourth 40+ point performance in the last two weeks, leading all scorers with 43 to go with 20 boards. Anthony Edwards led the T-Wolves with 30.

NBA.com Box Score

Minnesota slightly led for the majority of quarter number one, twice catching Milwaukee with their pants down in transition. Giannis and Bobby Portis combined for 23 in the frame to keep them down 33-34 heading into the second. The Bucks’ three-point shooting woes hit a new low at 1/14 in that period, missing twelve consecutive while turning the ball over and fouling too many Wolves shooters. It felt like somewhat of a miracle that they only trailed 61-50 at half.

Would you believe it if I told you that after going 3/22 from deep in first half, the Bucks proceeded to hit 5/8 in the third? Thanks in large part to Joe Ingles, they did just that, and a 39-22 quarter put them up 89-83 entering the final stanza. Milwaukee then extended their lead to as much as sixteen behind continued hot shooting, but Minnesota got back to within seven with 4:13 remaining. That lead shrank to five before Giannis started forcing the issue in the final three minutes, teaming with Brook Lopez and Portis to jump back up ten with under 90 seconds left. The Wolves didn’t quit, and the Bucks again had some slight troubles inbounding, but ultimately they salted this one away at the charity stripe.

Stat That Stood Out

11/17 was the Bucks’ figure from beyond the arc in the second half, a massive relief after their first-half struggles. Ingles hit three of five and keyed their comeback in the third as a distributor, racking up assists to finish with a 14/10 double-double.

Support our site! | BreakingT | ESPN+ | ESPN+ 30 For 30 | fuboTV | Disney+