© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
The Milwaukee Bucks dominate the Denver Nuggets for second-straight victory
The Milwaukee Bucks listed their first back-to-back wins under coach Doc Rivers, pulling off a vengeful 112-95 win over the defending champions Denver Nuggets on Monday night.
The Bucks followed up their 120-84 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night with a strong defensive effort, holding the talent-laden Nuggets below 100 points to seal their third win under Rivers.
Milwaukee improved to 3-5 since Rivers replaced Adrian Griffin. Rivers’ tenure with the Bucks started with a 107-113 loss to the Nuggets two weeks ago.
Giannis took charge
Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 36 points, 18 rebounds, five assists, three steals, and two blocks. Damian Lillard added 18 points, five assists, and three boards as the Bucks improved to 35-19 in the season.
Bobby Portis Jr. was the only other Milwaukee player to score in double figures with 13, but Brook Lopez, Malik Beasley, and AJ Green helped the Bucks’ cause by producing nine points each.
Nikola Jokic topped the Nuggets with 29 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. Aaron Gordon pitched in 14 points, and Michael Porter Jr. had 11. Denver sputtered when two of their key players left due to injuries.
Jamal Murray did not see action in the second half due to shin splints, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope played for just nine minutes due to tightness in his right hamstring. It was Denver’s second-straight defeat as it fell to 36-18.
Milwaukee dominated the middle quarters
The Bucks started the game with nine unanswered points, but just like in their meetings, they failed to sustain their hot start as the Nuggets charged back and surged ahead, 21-18. Malik Beasley nailed back-to-back triples in a 6-2 Milwaukee run that gave them the lead back, 24-23.
The Bucks would never trail again after they ended the first period with a 28-23 lead. The Bucks outscored the Nuggets in the second quarter, 32-21, which hiked their lead to 16, 60-44, going into the final half.
Another 30-point quarter allowed the Bucks to break the game wide, ending the third period with a 31-19 scoring advantage to post its biggest lead in the contest at 28, 91-63.
