FIVE MEMORABLE MOMENTS
1. GIANNIS TAKES NEW YORK
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s first career buzzer-beater (right) came Jan. 4, and he picked the right place to do it – Madison Square Garden. Antetokounmpo dribbled for about 7 seconds before hitting a jumper from the foul line, giving the Bucks a 105-104 victory over the New York Knicks and setting off a wild celebration with his teammates. Later in the locker room, a foreign reporter called him “a Greek god.”
2. BULLISH ON CHICAGO
Any of the first three games against the Chicago Bulls would qualify. The faster, younger Bucks were in a gear the slower Bulls could not match. The Bucks won on back-to-back nights in December by 11 and 26 points, and they routed the Bulls by 20 on New Year’s Eve at the United Center. Antetokounmpo scored 35 points and rookie Malcolm Brogdon recorded a tripledouble and was doused in the locker room after the 116-96 victory.
3. CLIPPING THE CLIPPERS
The Bucks were playing the second game of a six-game trip March 15 and facing the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center. The game came down to the final possession and the Clippers went to Blake Griffin on a switch against guard Matthew Dellavedova. Greg Monroe came over to help and Griffin’s short shot rolled off the rim as the Bucks escaped with a confidence-building 97-96 victory.
4. ON BROGDON'S BACK
Just call it the Brogdon Special. The rookie guard hit a tough step-back jumper over Avery Bradley to give the Bucks a 103-100 win in Boston on March 29 (right). Not only that, the Bucks played through Brogdon at the end of the game and he had three baskets and two assists in the final 21⁄2 minutes.
5. RIDING THE CROWD
It was the best quarter of the year and it came in Game 3 of the playoff series against Toronto. Playing before a “hot crowd,” as Raptors coach Dwane Casey called it, the Bucks outscored Toronto, 32-12, in the first quarter to take control in an eventual 104-77 victory at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Khris Middleton scored 11 points and Antetokounmpo had 10 and the Bucks hit 14 of 21 shots in a stunning start.