Antet and Lillard’s great performance against the Clippers and disappointing Harden

The Milwaukee Bucks fulfilled their obligation on a day when failure was not an option under any circumstances. With the Clippers without Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Russell Westbrook and only James Harden, all the pressure was on Doc Rivers’ team, even though the duel took place on Los Angeles soil. The stellar duo of authoritative Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard scored 34 and 35 points en route to a 117-124 victory over a Bucks barely tickled by a dejected James Harden. He knew how to manage and meet expectations from the start.

Upon arriving in Los Angeles, Barba objected to the role Doc Rivers gave him with the Sixers and declared himself in the system. In reuniting with Rivers, the point guard proved that Rivers, who always had doubts, was more correct than the Saints as he readjusted his role to facilitate Joel Embiid.

Without the Clippers’ other stars by his side, Harden was unable to lead Tyronn Lue’s team on a day when he showed he was no longer a good fit in the system and had to shoulder all the responsibility. He only scored 13 points with 5 goals. He made 15 field goals, went 1-of-6 on triples and had 11 assists, but racked up five turnovers and finished with a plus-minus of -13.

Norman Powell, the California team’s best with 26 points, and Ivica Zubac, who had 18 points and was 8-10 from the field, were more up to the challenge. The Clippers’ lack of success from the perimeter at 14-47 didn’t help pave the way for Harden, nor did the presence of NBA champion P.J. Tucker, who played for the Bucks. , they are looking for a more prominent presence due to Lou’s success, but that presence was also of no use. He was cornered on the bench.

The veteran power forward was starting for the first time since November and contributed with the non-negotiable intangibles of defense and rebounding, but as usual in the NBA, he scored just 7 points on 3-9 from the field and once again struggled offensively. It was disappointing in that respect. Offensive play will increasingly become a priority. The Bucks were convincing, but brilliant, in a game that didn’t tie the game until the final minutes despite the Clippers’ limitations.

While Milwaukee has shown improvement defensively, issues are evident in many areas on offense. Even with Antet’s 34 points and 10 assists and Dame’s double-double of 35 points and 11 basket passes, it was difficult for Rivers’ team to follow suit.

Malik Beasley, who defended Harden well, had a great performance with 17 points and was the Bucks best in plus/minus at +20.

At 34 years old, James Harden hasn’t made a particularly notable mark by taking care of himself, but he’s no longer in a duo like Antet and Lillard, managing one candidate against another. I can’t handle that task. He’d be better off continuing the way he’s integrated well with the Clippers thus far, serving as the link between Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook. For once, it turns out that Doc Rivers was right.