The Bucks defeated the Wizards without John and Middleton

With Cruz Holliday at the helm and without Giannis Antitokoumbo and Chris Middleton, the Milwaukee Bucks had no trouble overcoming the Washington Wizards’ 114-102 win at the Fiserv Forum. The “Hirsche” had a total of seven players with double-digit points, never lost the lead at any point in the game, even led by 28 points, and achieved their 46th win of the year in the NBA (46-27) from behind in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference.

Giannis Antetokounbo did not play, preferring to save with a knee problem, but that did not affect the champions’ performance. At the other end, Chris Middleton missed his second straight game with a wrist problem, but Jru Holliday poked fun and deservedly closed the gap between the two with 24 points (10 assists), being beaten by Grayson Allen (21 points, 5/7 threes) and Pat Conaton.

The Wizards were surprised by the Bucks’ very good start, never finding a rhythm in the match (they were even 28 points behind) and fell to 30-42 in the season in the fight for a place in the play-in tournament (they are ranked 12 place in the east).

Now the Bucks will turn their attention to the game against Ja Morand’s Grizzlies at dawn on Sunday (3/27).

The race

The Bucks started the match perfectly. From the start of the game, Holliday showed his intention to both score and pass. He had 10 points in the first period, plus three assists, and the hosts secured a double-digit margin early on. The Wizards tried to stay close to the score and stop the Bucks from escaping, but Hatsimura’s individual actions inside the brawler weren’t enough.

Gradually the gap began to open up for the Bucks, Holiday continued to be very effective in offense while Ibaka increased his power and Pat Conaton offered additional help to the “Hirsch” upon his return. Caldwell-Pope was the visitors’ only reliable solution in the first half and the Bucks went in the dressing room at +18.

The picture didn’t change in the second half either, on the contrary, it got better for the Bucks and even more nightmarish for the Wizards, who never managed to come back at any point in the game. Allen “stepped into the shoes” of Holiday, who did a great job in the first half, offering the Milwaukee team 13 points, holding and even increasing the difference that had built up. The fourth third was the only one in which the guests did something good. They attempted, albeit belatedly, to return, but the Bucks were unwilling to be the victim of such a reversal. The difference was reduced from 28 to half price (at 12), but the hosts were the ones celebrating a big win.

THE TWELVE MINUTES: 32-13, 60-42, 92-64, 114-102

MILGUOKI BUKS: Matthews, Portis 11 (1/1 three points, 12 rebounds), Lopez 13 (5/7 two points), Allen 21 (2/3 two points, 5/7 three points, 4 rebounds), Holiday 24 (7/ 12 two points, 3/6 three points, 10 assists), Hill 10 (4/5 two points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists), Conaton 16 (2/6 three points, 5 rebounds), Ibaka 11 (2/2 two points, 2/3 three points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists), Nuora, Carter 8 (1/2 two points, 2/3 three points, 4 assists).

WASHINGTON WIZARDS: Caldwell-Pope 16 (3/10 three points, 5 rebounds), Hatsimura 10 (5/8 two points, 0/3 three points, 7 rebounds), Porzingis 16 (4/6 two points, 2/6 three points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks), Kispert 5 (1), Neto 9 (1/2 three points, 6 assists), Avdiya 12 (2/7 three points), Smith 17 (7/11 two points, 1/3 three points), Gaford 6 (3/3 two-pointers, Satoranski 2, Gill 9 (1).