On Tuesday, the Bucks set a franchise file by taking pictures 68.9 % from the sphere (51-of-74) of their 133-123 win over the Suns.
No workforce had shot the next FG% in a regular-season recreation since March 13, 1998, when the Clippers made 69.3 % of their baskets (61-of-88) in a 152-120 win over the Raptors.
The Bucks entered the sport on a four-game shedding streak and a 4-9 file over their final 13 video games. The late-season slump was proving to be damaging, with the Bucks dropping from the fourth to the sixth seed because the All-Star break. One other loss would have shrunk their lead over Orlando to only 3.5 video games for the ultimate assured playoff berth.
Earlier than the sport, Giannis Antetokounmpo summoned his teammates and advised them they have been “preventing” for his or her playoff lives. The pep speak appeared to work.
“I positively wanted a win,” he mentioned, via The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Whenever you win, you get pleasure from your sleep higher. You get pleasure from your meals higher…I hold saying to my teammates, ‘We’re preventing for our lives. We’re preventing for our lives.’ You suppose I am joking, however I am not joking. We’re preventing for our lives proper right here. Each win counts.”
The Bucks improved to 41-34 with the win, however have a protracted and arduous highway forward to make a deep playoff run. If the season have been to finish right now, Milwaukee must beat New York and Boston within the first two rounds. Doc Rivers’ males have been swept 3-0 by the Knicks of their regular-season sequence and drew stage, 2-2, in opposition to the Celtics.
The chance of Milwaukee being despatched packing after the primary spherical is practical. The franchise was equally bounced out of the primary spherical by the Pacers and the Warmth within the earlier two postseasons.
