4TH QUARTER (Bucks win 127-118)
The San Antonio Spurs' shooters sputtered in the second half, going 12-45 (27%) in the final two quarters. Meanwhile, 6 Milwaukee Bucks finished in double-digit scoring, with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way with 32 points. The Greek Freak neared a double-double with 8 rebounds.
On the game, the Bucks recorded 10 blocks and tallied 17 fastbreak points against the shorthanded Spurs. Without starting point guard Dejounte Murray, defense was an issue for the Silver & Black, and Milwaukee feasted from behind the arc.
For the Spurs, DeMar DeRozan led the way with 26 points. LaMarcus Aldridge continued his hot streak behind the arc, adding another three 3-pointers on 4 shots.
3RD QUARTER (Bucks lead 103-91)
Since being all tied up at 79 apiece, the Milwaukee Bucks went on a torrential 24-12 run to take a twelve-point lead into the final quarter.
After scoring just nine points in the first half, Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo now has 28 points. He's made his home at the free throw line, shooting 13-16 at the charity stripe.It's been DeMar DeRozan leading the second-half charge for the Silver & Black. DeRozan now was 22 points and 4 assists, including this remarkable dish to Trey Lyles:
The Spurs made just 6 baskets on 31 shots in the 3rd frame; that comes to less than 20% shooting in the quarter. Woof.
HALFTIME (Bucks lead 71-65)
As hot as the Spurs shooters were out of the gate in this game, The Milwaukee Bucks have kept up, shooting 11-21 from 3PT. While San Antonio has kept reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo bottled up in the first half - The Greek Freak has just 9 points at the end of the second frame - the Bucks are seeing contributions from everywhere else on the roster and tallied a 42 point second quarter to take a 5 point halftime lead.
After scoring 14 points in the first quarter, Aldridge scored just two points in the second quarter. He and DeMar DeRozan (12 points) are the only two Spurs in double digits; Patty Mills leads the Spurs' bench with 9 points, but the Silver & Black's second unit has struggled against the Bucks' bench players.
Lonnie Walker IV has remained mostly quiet in his first start of the season, but check out this smooth finish at the rim for "Skywalker":
1ST QUARTER (Spurs lead 31-29)
The Spurs led by as much as 11 before the Bucks' second unit was able to cut the deficit to two by the end of the first quarter.
Talk about stepping up - over the last four games, Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge has been on fire from the 3 point line. He's shooting an insane 72% from 3 over the last 4 games (18-25). He leads all scorers with 14 points in the first frame.
The Silver & Black are shooting 50% from 3 as a team.
The Spurs made some changes to the starting lineup, sending Bryn Forbes to the bench and sliding second-year guard Lonnie Walker IV into the starting spot. No Dejounte Murray tonight means Derrick White gets the start at point guard.
PRE-GAME
The grind doesn't get any easier for the up-and-down Spurs, who face the unenviable task of playing the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks twice in the next three nights.
Milwaukee, which hosts the Silver and Black on Saturday, is a league-best 31-5 and sits atop the NBA's Eastern Conference standings.
Saturday's game tips off at 7:30 p.m. CT. Follow along here for live updates.
