The Milwaukee Bucks’ defense split as Paul Millsap dribbled through the key in the first quarter on Friday night.
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Middleton is averaging 23 points on 50-percent shooting over the last six games, and the Bucks have won four of those contests.
Jan 12, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Khris Middleton (22) takes a shot against Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) in the fourth quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. “If you get back to Golden State, small ball is good if you’re not small”. “Coaches and the guys are letting me play with the ball in my hands more, and allow me to make plays for them”.
“We’ve gotta face some great teams on the road so to get a couple of these on the road would be good for us to get us rolling”, Middleton said. “It was a good team effort”. Atlanta has lost nine of its last 15 road games after opening the season 4-0 away from home.
When the Hornets left Jeremy Lin in to guard Middleton, it created a major mismatch that the Bucks exploited. The starting backcourt of Walker and Nicolas Batum combined to go 6 of 24 from the field.
“Our whole group did not play well, ” coach Mike Budenholzer said. We’re going to have to look at maybe doing some things differently.
The Hornets’ depth is also being tested as they play without big man Al Jefferson.
“We just played hard and kept executing, ” he said. I think everybody is still confident in our abilities. And it’s versatility at both ends of the floor.
ATLANTA – Bazemore 3-9 0-0 7, Millsap 10-19 2-2 23, Horford 9-23 0-0 18, Teague 4-13 0-0 9, Korver 7-10 0-0 17, Sefolosha 1-5 2-2 4, Splitter 2-5 0-0 4, Schroder 6-10 2-2 16, Scott 1-5 0-0 3, Hardaway Jr.
NOTES: Bucks G Jerryd Bayless returned after missing the previous six games with a sprained ankle.
These teams have met earlier in the season and it was the Hornets who won by 87-82 on November 29, but the Hornets have been in a mighty struggle and are generally a poor team playing on zero days rest, so I’m taking a shot with the Bucks in this one. The teams will meet two more times, in Milwaukee on February 19 and again on March 26….
“Everybody contributed in this game tonight ” Buck’s interim head coach Joe Puntry was very pleased.
Some might argue and say Greg Monroe was brought in as a free agent to be the team’s leading scorer.
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Michael Carter-Williams‘ recent play is arguably enough for him to have greater opportunities with the ball in his hands, but in spite of hitting a huge three-point basket to give the Bucks the decisive lead in their overtime win against Atlanta, he proved early on in that game he can still be a liability when it comes to protecting the ball and making decisions. This is Monroe’s fifth-consecutive double-double and 22nd overall on the season, the latter of which is tied-for-fifth in the National Basketball Association. The Hornets remain home for their annual MLK Day matinee on Monday against Utah. It will be Milwaukee’s fourth game in five days, but the Bucks will get a breather until Tuesday when they take their talents to South Beach to battle the Miami Heat.
