After two and a half quarters of keeping things closed, the Milwaukee Bucks ended up eliminating the Golden State Warriors 138-99 in their fight on Christmas Day. The Bucks led by up to 43 points in the fourth period, letting 3s rain from everywhere on the floor. Khris Middleton led the Bucks in his rout, ending the game with 31 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals in just three quarters of the action. Current MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, took a long time to reach Milwaukee, but still ended the game with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
While the final score reflected a one-sided dispute, give credit to the Warriors for keeping things closed for as long as possible. Golden State kept the Bucks within reach for most of the game, with the strength of newcomer James Wiseman and Stephen Curry. Wiseman seemed to be the best player on the pitch for Golden State on several occasions, blocking shots, taking down 3s and making a great effort in defense against Giannis. Curry played an incredibly inefficient game, but ended the night with 19 points in 28 minutes.
The Bucks now change to 1-1 in the season, while the Warriors remain unbeaten in two defeats against some of the best teams in the East.
Here are three lessons from the Bucks win:
1. Merry Khris-mas, Milwaukee
If it weren’t for Middleton’s efficient performance today, the Bucks would be in a dangerously close game against a lower Warriors team. Everything was falling for the twice All-Star today, and Milwaukee needed it as Giannis struggled to get into a consistent rhythm throughout the game. He was knocking down 3s, where he finished 6 of 8 in the afternoon, accumulating assists, and left with a couple of steals, which led to an easy bucket for him or a teammate.
Middleton’s performance is an excellent example of what the Bucks can still do, despite Antetokounmpo having a bad day. Often, after an afterthought, Middleton has shown that he can easily carry the offensive charge when it is needed, and in an efficient manner no less. After a 27-point performance, 14 rebounds and eight assists in the initial loss to the Celtics, Middleton took his game efficiently for this match and exposed the Warriors for their weak defense against him.
If that is a precursor to what to expect from Middleton this season, then Milwaukee may well repeat itself as the number 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
2. Stephen Curry is still removing rust
Historically, Curry has not done well at Christmas games throughout his career. In his seven previous appearances before today’s game, he averaged just 12.2 points, hitting 29.5 percent of the field and an even worse 18.8 percent in the 3-point range. The Warriors have also not had much success at Christmas since Curry is in the league, posting a 3-4 record before today’s loss.
Unfortunately, Curry did not break his Christmas day “curse” against the Bucks today, ending the game with 19 points, while shooting 20 percent from the bottom and 35.3 from the field. Those 19 points are the highest he ever scored at Christmas, which is well below the average of what we usually see in the fast and accurate launch Curry. Granted, this is only the second game for him, after losing most of last season due to a broken left hand, so it is evident that he is still working back into game form.
Shots that would normally fall to him from beyond the arc hit all parts of the rim, and each mistake became more deafening with the tall microphones that the NBA has on the back of the rim. At one point, Curry even hit a 3-point ball, and it wasn’t even close. The two-time MVP deserves considerable slack, not only because he hasn’t played an NBA game in 14 months, but also because the teammates around him are considerably different than what he’s used to. He doesn’t have Klay Thompson flanking him on the wing, or Draymond Green – for now – to create chaos at both ends of the floor.
Curry is having to carry this ragged Warriors team on his back While recovering from a significant hand injury, which certainly affected his shot. It was a tough exit for the 32-year-old superstar, but I hope it’s just him getting back on track and not a persistent problem he has dealt with this season. Otherwise, the Warriors will enter another long and dark season, full of many losses.
3. Another great display for the beginner
If there was a silver lining for the Warriors in today’s defeat, it was the second overall choice of James Wiseman’s performance against the Bucks. In his first game on Christmas Day, the debutant pivot 7-1 ended the afternoon with 18 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, while hitting 3 of 4 from the bottom. He also had typical rookie mistakes, like careless fouls and missed defensive assignments, but he also did an admirable job of taking on the MVP in practice.
After the game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said they increase Wiseman’s minutes after two quality games for the novice. Despite not being where he needs to be defensively, his offensive contribution in both games for the Warriors is evidence that he should be more on the court. Although Golden State is leaving Milwaukee with a loss, Wiseman’s performance should be a bright spot knowing that so far they were right to choose him as the second choice in the draft.