Bucks Zone

"Great job by the arena" - Coach Mike Budenholzer reacts after winning crucial coach's challenge in the Milwaukee Bucks' win over the Brooklyn Nets

The outcome could have gone either way if not for this huge break that the Milwaukee Bucks got in the endgame.
Matthew Dugandzic|
"Great job by the arena" - Coach Mike Budenholzer reacts after winning crucial coach's challenge in the Milwaukee Bucks' win over the Brooklyn Nets
"Great job by the arena" - Coach Mike Budenholzer reacts after winning crucial coach's challenge in the Milwaukee Bucks' win over the Brooklyn Nets

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Milwaukee BucksBrooklyn Nets

Some may have expected a blowout game when the Milwaukee Bucks faced a depleted Brooklyn Nets team on Thursday night.

But contrary to what was probably expected by many, the Nets kept the game close before the Bucks held on for a 118-113 victory.

Good call

Milwaukee was still on shaky ground when it got a massive breakthrough via a successful coach's challenge in the closing minutes.

Brooklyn was just within two points from Milwaukee at 97-99 when Brook Lopez was called for a foul while trying to block the dunk attempt of Day'Ron Sharpe with 4:31 left.

Though unsure of the play, Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer challenged the call, and several replays showed that Lopez made a clean block.

The initial free throws awarded to Sharpe were then waived, and Bobby Portis Jr. scored 15 seconds later, triggering an 8-2 run that gave the Bucks more breathing space by building a 107-99 lead with 2:30 left.

Budenholzer said the Bucks were fortunate to win the challenge as they didn't really get a clean look at the play.

"Great job by the arena, the guys in house putting it up on the board because our bench didn't have a great angle," Budenholzer said. "It looked - obviously, it was successful, so I feel fortunate - but it looked like it was clean up top. It looked like Brook went up and got all ball."

The big men duo dominates

Breaks of the game indeed went the Bucks' way with that successful coach's challenge, but it was definitely not the only reason that Milwaukee escaped the upset-conscious Nets.

Portis Jr. finished with a season-high 28 points and 13 rebounds, while Lopez narrowly missed a triple-double with 24 points, ten rebounds, and a career-high nine blocks.

Lopez's nine blocks are the most by an NBA player this season. He also scored a crucial putback, followed by a big block that sealed the Bucks' 48th win against 18 losses this season.

Solid games by their two big men, coupled with a huge break, certainly helped the Bucks avert what could have been a monumental meltdown.

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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.