Ilyasova puts on another show
Here’s a crazy thought – if Ersan Ilyasova keeps playing like he is, it may not matter how long Giannis Antetokounmpo remains out with a sore back.
Is that hyperbole? Sure it is, but not by as much as you would think. The way Ilyasova is playing right now in Antetokounmpo’s stead has been nothing short of fantastic.
The Bucks’ social media team hyped up what happened on Saturday night as “Ersanity,” something that Antetokounmpo read about and enjoyed while Ilyasova’s other teammates marveled at their veteran big man.
“He was ballin’, I mean that’s the simplest (way) to put it,” Bucks wing Khris Middleton said. “He was everywhere – the hustle plays, the rebounds, the shots, the assists, just his energy helped us out tonight.”
Ilyasova’s three-pointers, clutch rebounds, hustle – the only thing missing was a drawn charge – helped fuel the Bucks down the stretch as they claimed a 111-100 victory over the Orlando Magic on Saturday night at Fiserv Forum. He finished the night with 17 points and 14 rebounds, putting him at a combined 35 points and 31 rebounds over the two games of Milwaukee’s weekend backto-back set.
“This is part of my game to always kind of bring energy,” Ilyasova said. “Some nights, obviously, the ball’s not going to fall through the net and there’s different things you can offensively and defensively like get excellent position. Back in the day I used to get charges but now I get none. So, like I said, just try to crash the offensive glass, create extra offense for us.”
He saved his best for last, too. The Bucks, who were sloppy much of the night with 24 turnovers including 17 in the second half, were clinging to a four-point lead with just under 11 minutes to go. Ilyasova’s contributions over the next 2 1⁄2 minutes changed the complexion of the game.
He started by tapping and securing an offensive rebound, kicking it out to Kyle Korver for a three-pointer. Ilyasova then added a three-pointer on one end before hustling along the baseline on the other end to knock the ball — blocked by Brook Lopez — off the Magic and out of bounds.
Ilyasova then made another extra-effort, winning play. After Lopez was stripped in the post by Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic, the ball squirted out toward the sideline. Vucevic dove to save it and Ilyasova, who was also tracking the ball, was right there to catch it and immediately hoist a three-pointer that caught nothing but net.
That play put the Bucks up by 12 with 8 minutes, 21 seconds left and boosted Ilyasova to 5 of 6 on three-pointers for the night. It was a lead the Magic would never truly threaten again.
“He’s obviously an incredibly intelligent player,” Bucks center Robin Lopez said. “He knows how to get to his spots, he knows how to play with the advantages that he has . ...
“It’s super impressive. I think it’s impressive for anybody that’s been around the game watching how consistently he’s able to (be in the right place at the right time).”
Over the final few minutes, Ilyasova again played a central role in making sure the Magic were thoroughly extinguished, choking out any hope of a comeback with his passing. First, he posted up just outside the lane before drawing the defense and passing crosscourt to the opposite corner where Robin Lopez was waiting to drain a three.
About a minute later, Ilyasova batted around a missed George Hill free throw before securing it and kicking out to Hill for a three-pointer -- Ilyasova’s fifth assist of the night and a bucket that gave the Bucks a 16-point lead with under two minutes to go. Soon after, Ilyasova subbed out to hearty applause from the sold-out Fiserv Forum crowd.
“He just, he played really, really well tonight,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “He’s been, all year he’s been great. Just so many nights he’s given us great minutes and production.”
There was more to the Bucks’ win than just Ilyasova, though.
Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 21 points and seven assists in the victory – his second successive game with seven assists while running the offense in the absence of Antetokounmpo and point guard Eric Bledsoe. While he didn’t shoot the lights out (7 of 17 from the floor), Middleton stepped up during a critical stretch of the third quarter to help fend off a Magic run.
As the Bucks committed giveaway after giveaway – Milwaukee had nine turnovers in the third quarter alone – the Magic battled their way back from a deficit that had been as large as 19 in the second quarter.
Jonathan Isaac played a big role in Orlando’s success on both ends, collecting 19 points, nine rebounds and seven steals in the loss.
“It was frustrating,” Budenholzer said of the turnovers. “It kind of felt like the first five minutes of the third quarter was a turnover fest, at least from our side.”
The margin was just two late in the third when Middleton earned and made a pair of free throws. He then grabbed a defensive rebound, ran the floor and bounced a nifty, no-look pass to George Hill for a dunk. Middleton finished off that spurt with a drive and lefty floater finish over Vucevic to help the Bucks stabilize.
In addition to Ilyasova and Middleton, the Bucks got a huge lift from their bench. Lopez put up 17 points on 7 of 8 shooting while Hill similarly contributed 17 points, with 12 coming in the second half.