Bucks Zone

"Probably one of our best wins of the season" - Adrian Griffin reacts to Milwaukee's epic overtime win over Sacramento

Relief was written all over Coach Griff’s face after Milwaukee’s dramatic win over Sacramento.
Matthew Dugandzic|
© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

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Milwaukee coach Adrian Griffin heaved a huge sigh of relief shortly after the Bucks edged out the Sacramento Kings via a 143-142 overtime decision on Sunday night.

“Wow! Gutsy win! Back to back, no Khris (Middleton),” Griffin blurted before he could even take a seat to face reporters in a customary post-game press conference.

One of the best wins

Damian Lillard’s buzzer-beating triple made the epic triumph possible, saving the Bucks from a crushing defeat after they allowed the Kings to force overtime when they had the chance to close out the match in regulation.

“It was like we had the game, and they stole it from us, and we took it back at the end,” Griffin said. “When they went up six (in overtime), it would have been easy for us to throw in the towel, but those guys are resilient. Probably one of our best wins of the season.”

Griffin was ecstatic with the frenetic win, the team’s third straight after suffering back-to-back losses.

“Got gritty, tough against a very good team. A lot to be happy about. These types of games bring our team closer. Last two games were starting to find our identity; how hard we have to compete,” Griffin said.

The Bucks looked well on their way to wrapping up the win when they took a five-point lead with 52.2 seconds left, 125-120.

Giannis Antetokounmpo could only split his free throws with 8.6 seconds left, giving Milwaukee a 128-126 lead. The Bucks couldn’t pull off a defensive stop as they allowed De’Aaron Fox to score on a layup that tied the contest at 128-all with only a second left.

Disaster averted

The Kings appeared ready to take control of the contest when they took what looked like a safe 141-137 lead with only 33 seconds left in overtime.

Sacramento, however, fumbled when they missed some crucial free throws down the stretch that allowed the Bucks to come back, punctuated by Lillard’s incredible buzzer-beating triple.

Milwaukee, thus, ended its four-game homestand with three wins and will embark on a three-game road trip riding the crest of a three-game winning streak.

“It would have been a shame if we couldn’t have pulled this out,” concluded Griffin. 

Damian Lillard's buzzer-beating triple lifts the Milwaukee Bucks over the Sacramento Kings

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.