Sterling defense at finish gives Bucks reason to hope
It’s hard to judge your defense a day after playing the Golden State Warriors.
The Milwaukee Bucks did some film study and brief on-court work Sunday, trying to digest their 124-121 loss to the Warriors on Saturday night.
The Bucks helped limit Stephen Curry to 1-for-11 shooting from three-point range, but Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson combined to hit 10 triples (five apiece). Despite shooting 41% overall in the second half, Golden State had just enough to earn its seventh straight victory.
“When you look at the stat sheet at halftime and you see he (Durant) has 25, you’re like, ‘OK,’ ” Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. “Then you come out of halftime and Klay (Thompson) has 18 in a quarter. You go, ‘OK.’
“And we’re still in the game. The guys did a really good job in competing.
“The league is scoring a lot of points right now. You’re going to see a lot of 100-point games.”
The Bucks are showing improvement on defense and it is evident in the numbers.
Milwaukee ranks 13th in defensive rating (points per 100 possessions) at 107.01 and is seventh in opponents field-goal percentage (43.4%).
Even more impressive is the Bucks' No. 1 ranking in opponents' three-point field-goal percentage (30.8%). That was a huge problem last season when the Bucks allowed 35.2% shooting from three-point range. Against Golden State, a team with three-point threats all over the floor, the Bucks allowed 47% shooting beyond the arc in the first half (9 for 19) but just 26% in the second half (5 for 19).
Kidd liked the way his team made it tough on Durant and the Warriors at the end of the game, giving up no baskets after Curry made a layup with 2 minutes 47 seconds remaining.
That allowed the Bucks several chances to tie or take the lead, but they could not take advantage.
“That 2 minutes in that fourth quarter was pretty good, the best I’ve seen,” Kidd said of the team's defense. “We were getting stops against a high-powered offense like the Warriors.
“We got the misses; we got the rebound. If a couple plays go our way, maybe we win that game.”
Mirza Teletovic did a good job contesting some shots by Durant, who was 1 for 5 in the fourth quarter after a sizzling start.
Giannis Antetokounmpo came up with a sensational block at the rim on Draymond Green with 55 seconds left, denying a sure basket and keeping the Bucks’ deficit at two points.
“We just needed to stop him,” Antetokounmpo said. “I tried to do whatever it took to get a stop.”
The Bucks’ small lineup in the fourth quarter – using the 6-foot-11 Antetokounmpo at center - was effective.
"Having Giannis, Jabari, (Tony) Snell and me out there, we’re four guys that can switch anything,” Teletovic said. “You don’t have to be tactical about anything. You just switch it and try to guard your man one-on-one.”
Antetokounmpo has played center in the fourth quarter against both Atlanta and Golden State this season, leading to comebacks from big deficits.
But the Bucks could not finish with victories.
“Did I play center?” Antetokounmpo said. “Whenever coach puts me out there and tells me who to guard, I don’t think about it. I just try to play.”
The Bucks (5-7) will try to halt a three-game skid when they play the Orlando Magic (6-7) on Monday night. It will be the first of two meetings with the Magic in the next week, with a rematch in Orlando scheduled on Sunday.
STATISTICS: Milwaukee Bucks 2016-'17 stats
STATISTICS: Orlando Magic 2016-'17 stats