Gardner: This week in the NBA
TOP BUCKS PLAYER
Giannis Antetokounmpo was held to nine points in a loss to Golden State on March 18, but he responded with three big performances in leading the Bucks to a 3-0 record last week. The Greek Freak had 22 points, eight rebounds and a critical late block on Damian Lillard in the Bucks’ 93-90 win at Portland on Tuesday. He set the tone with 32 points, 14 rebounds and 5 assists as Milwaukee beat Sacramento, 116-98, to end their six-game trip Wednesday. Then he had 34 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in a 100-97 victory over Atlanta on Friday at home. It was the third time this season Antetokounmpo scored 30-plus points in consecutive games.
BUCKS LOOK AHEAD
Milwaukee opens the week seeking a four-game sweep of the division rival Chicago Bulls, who trail the Bucks by 3 ½ games entering Sunday’s matinee at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Then it’s a back-to-back road set at Charlotte and Boston on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a Friday night home game against the slumping Detroit Pistons.
RELATED: Improved defense helps Bucks go on a hot streak
BUCKS QUOTE
Greg Monroe, on the Bucks starting to win close games: "We know these games are important and guys are locking in coming down the stretch. We're getting the stops we need and on offense, we're taking our time and making the right play.”
TOP NBA PLAYER
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker became only the sixth player in NBA history to reach the 70-point milestone in a game. The others form an elite list: Wilt Chamberlain, David Robinson, David Thompson, Elgin Baylor and Kobe Bryant. The remarkable thing was Booker, a noted outside shooter, accomplished the feat despite hitting just 4 of 11 three-pointers. He was 21 for 40 from the field and 24 for 26 at the free-throw line, with eight rebounds and six assists in 45 minutes. Former Bucks player Jared Dudley played a part in the historic night, finishing with 10 assists. Suns coach Earl Watson called two timeouts and fouled intentionally twice in the final 44 seconds to help Booker reach 70.
TOP NBA TEAM
The Bucks have been the hottest team in the league, winning 11 of their last 13 games to move into a tie with Atlanta for the fifth spot in the East. Khris Middleton’s return to the lineup has helped the team’s defense and led to a better pace on offense. The Bucks are getting solid contributions from the bench, including Greg Monroe, Matthew Dellavedova, Mirza Teletovic, Spencer Hawes, John Henson and Jason Terry. The Bucks bench outscored the Hawks reserves, 31-12, in Friday’s victory.
NBA QUOTE
Booker, on his 70-point performance against Boston on Friday night: “I was ultra-aggressive. My teammates started finding me, they started setting really good screens for me, and the rest is history."
NBA RANKINGS (through Friday’s games)
Top 10: 1. Golden State, 2. San Antonio, 3. Houston, 4. Cleveland, 5. Boston, 6. Utah, 7. Washington, 8. Toronto, 9. Oklahoma City, 10. Los Angeles Clippers.
Middle 10: 11. Memphis, 12. Milwaukee, 13. Denver, 14. Miami, 15. Indiana, 16. Atlanta, 17. Portland, 18. Chicago, 19, Dallas, 20. Detroit.
Bottom 10: 21. Charlotte, 22. New Orleans, 23. Philadelphia, 24. Minnesota, 25. Orlando, 26. New York, 27. Sacramento, 28. Phoenix, 29. Los Angeles Lakers, 30. Brooklyn.
ONE MAN'S OPINION
To rest or not to rest.
That question is haunting the NBA and hurting its product, as Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers accurately assessed.
Commissioner Adam Silver finally stepped in to recognize the problem of NBA stars resting, but his solution was off-target. He suggested having owners involved in making such decisions, which would create even more problems.
Coaches need to use common sense and not rest stars en masse, as the Cleveland Cavaliers have done several times this season.
Rest LeBron James, but keep Kyrie Irving in the lineup, or vice versa. Don’t play with your reserves against the Los Angeles Clippers in a nationally televised Saturday night game.
It’s a bad look, plain and simple.
Yes, the playoffs are important, but so is the regular season. If the message to fans is to say the regular season is not so important, they may decide to stay home or watch another sporting event on TV or their mobile devices.