Happy to hang on
Free throws from Middleton, Bledsoe preserve victory
Before Giannis Antetokounmpo could blow out the candles in celebration of his 23rd birthday, the Milwaukee Bucks needed to turn out the lights on the Detroit Pistons.
Despite leading by as many as 13 in the fourth quarter thanks to a 14-1 period-opening run, it took some clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch for the Bucks to hold on. Khris Middleton knocked down four straight free throws and Eric Bledsoe made one to give Milwaukee a four-point lead with 8 seconds left as the Bucks earned a 104-100 victory in front of 15,841 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Wednesday night.
Antetokounmpo contributed a team-high 25 points, scoring eight in the fourth quarter after a scoreless third. Bledsoe added 22 and Middleton chipped in 21 on 7 of 10 shooting in the win.
The Pistons rode Andre Drummond’s 27 points and 20 rebounds for most of the night, weathering numerous Bucks runs to keep the game close. with Detroit down eight and under two minutes left, Drummond deposited a layup and kicked a pass out to Tobias Harris for a triple to get the Pistons back within a basket.
Bledsoe came up huge after that, making an 18-footer and then, after a jumper by Pistons guard Reggie Jackson, driving straight at Drummond off a pick-and-roll with Antetokounmpo. Bledsoe didn’t make the layup or get the foul call, but he tapped in his miss to give the Bucks a five-point cushion with 32 seconds remaining.
“It’s been big,” Bucks coach Jason Kidd said of the Antetokounmpo-Bledsoe pick-and-roll, a play the Bucks have often gone to at crunch time. “Just the confidence that those two have together and the team. No one was panicking.”
From there, Milwaukee took care of business at the free-throw line to earn the win and send the Pistons to their fourth loss in a row.
Middleton’s free throws were especially prominent as he kept the lead above three in the final moments. It was part of a hot night for him as he made his first five shots and helped keep the Bucks afloat when Antetokounmpo was scuffling in the third quarter.
“That’s who Khris has always been the last three years; he’s the security blanket,” Kidd said. “He’s the guy that you can lean on defensively or offensively. … I think he just is a true pro and the guys can all trust him. Again, free throws late, those are important free throws and he steps up and knocks them down.”
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE Birthday bash: Wednesday marked Antetokounmpo’s 340th NBA game and his first as a 23-year-old. He’s made quite a mark on the Bucks’ record book.
Antetokounmpo ranks first in team history in total points (5,364), rebounds (2,407) and assists (1,230) accumulated before the age of 23. He’s second, only behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in terms of 30-point games prior to turning 23, with Abdul-Jabbar putting up 32 and Antetokounmpo recording 30.
Antetokounmpo’s number’s as similarly impressive on an NBA level. Here’s the list of players who have at least 5,000 points, 2,250 rebounds and 1,000 assists before turning 23: Antetokounmpo (5,364/2,407/1,230) and LeBron James (9,188/2,288/2,231).
Antetokounmpo’s eight triple-doubles rank fourth in league history prior to turning 23. Magic Johnson (19), James (14) and Kidd (11) are the only players who had more.
No homecoming: Pistons forward Henry Ellenson, a native of Rice Lake and a one-year standout at Marquette, didn’t see the floor on Wednesday meaning he won’t make any regularseason appearances this season at the Bradley Center, his former home court.
He has played in just nine of Detroit’s 24 games this season, five of those in October.
“Henry is a great, great worker,” Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. “You just want him to realize the situation and that it takes time and everything else. I think it’s made doubly hard because he started the year playing well. He had a good preseason and had a good couple games early on. To not be playing, I’m sure it’s really, really difficult for him.”
UP NEXT
Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (13-10) vs. Dallas Mavericks (7-18).
When: 7 p.m. Friday.
Where: BMO Harris Bradley Center.
About the Mavericks: Dallas took out weeks worth of frustration on the Bucks in the first meeting between the two teams, beating Milwaukee, 111-79, on Nov. 18 at American Airlines Center. Since then, the Mavericks have won four of eight games, including a pair of double-digit wins to open December before falling to the Celtics, 97-90, on Wednesday night in Boston. Harrison Barnes leads the Mavericks with 18.5 points per game while rookie Dennis Smith Jr. is putting up 14.4.