By a few hundredths of a second, the Bucks beat the Cavaliers

Despite the absence of several executives from both sides, Giannis Antetokounmpo on the Milwaukee side, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and James Harden on the Cleveland side – the Bucks and Cavaliers played a magnificent duel, concluded by the victory of the player Docuc Rivers (118-116).

In the “back-to-back” meeting between the two teams, Cleveland started with more freshness. The Cavaliers lead by seven points after Sam Merrill’s game-winning shot. Milwaukee reacts after a Doc Rivers timeout and gradually works its way back into the game. Bobby Portis then passed Cam Thomas to give the Bucks the lead, but Craig Porter Jr. tied the game at 33-33 at the end of the first quarter.

Shredder in all good moves

In the second quarter, Merrill continued to hurt and Cleveland regained the lead. The Bucks respond with a series of dunks (Jericho Sims, Kevin Porter Jr., Miles Turner). Porter Jr., who had already scored 32 points the previous day, scored six straight points to put Milwaukee back in front. Dennis Schroeder hit back at the end of the period, and Cleveland took a 63-62 lead into the break.

Coming back from the locker room, Milwaukee hit hard on an 11-0 run, thanks in particular to Kyle Kuzma’s two game-winning shots and Kevin Porter Jr.’s huge dunk. on Jarrett Allen. The lead grew to 12 points before Cleveland responded with a 10-0 run. Very well, Schroeder even gave the Cavaliers a short lead (94-93) at the beginning of the last quarter.

Non-breathable finish

The Bucks’ offense stalled for several minutes, going scoreless between the end of the third quarter and midway through the fourth. Fortunately for them, Cleveland is also struggling to make things happen. Bobby Portis then gave Milwaukee a soft layup by AJ Green, before Schroeder tied the game on free throws.

Ryan Rollins then came up with two straight layups to give his team a four-point lead with less than two minutes left. But Jaylon Tyson, then Schroeder, brought Cleveland back to level: 116-116 with 36 seconds left.

In the end, Kevin Porter Jr. had the last word: The guard hit a mid-range shot 20 seconds from the buzzer, in front of Jarrett Allen’s huge hands, to give the Bucks the lead back (118-116). On the final possession, Allen thought he would react as he clinched overtime with a touch at the buzzer. But after a video review, the basket was ruled out because the siren sounded before the ball left his hands… It was decided in a hundredth of a second.

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WHAT TO REMEMBER

Bucks apply pressure. With their 8th win in ten games, without Giannis, the Bucks are right behind the Hawks and Hornets, 9th and 10th respectively in the Eastern Conference. The race to “play in” will be exciting all the way in the East.

Harden forfeits. While the medical staff announced that James Harden will be able to play his broken thumbin the end, he was left to rest for this meeting.

Lancers-French. The Cavaliers finished the game with 20-of-27 free throws, a sluggish 74% in practice. The problem is that they missed 4 free throws in the last quarter, and in a loss by two small points, that is costly…

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How to read statistics? Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive jump; T = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Difference of points when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Rating: player rating calculated based on positive actions – negative actions.