Past NBA Finals rivals squared off in the Cream City tonight, as a huge ?-point lead grew for the Bucks in the 2nd Quarter from a display of dominance by Milwaukee. The dynastic Spurs surged back, sparked by stellar perimeter power (15/31 3PT), crushing the Bucks in the fourth quarter with furious defense that erased the deficit for the defending champions.
After a frustrating three quarters, Brandon Ingram (21 points, 3 steals, 1 block) finally figured it out and dunked it home for a 97-95 lead, the two of a one-two exchange by the Slender-Man burying a mid-range dagger that had tied the game. Ingram also swatted Middleton at the rim late. Kent Bazemore (19 points, 2 steals) nailed two 3PTers in the final minute to ice the game, with the scoreboard having gone topsy-turvy by the buzzer's call. Fred VanVleet was big, yet again, with 12 points and hitting four 3PT bombs with 5 assists & a key steal down the stretch.
The Bucks won the 2nd Quarter, 38-19, with San Antone dominating the 4th Quarter, 43-16, to finish the season sweep, highlighted by Ingram swiping the ball loose from Antetokounmpo (20 points, 17 rebounds, 9 assists, 7 turnovers). On another memorably wild exchange, Khris Middleton (6-14, 2-8 3PT) back-ironed a golden three-pointer off a double screen, with both teams' big men smacking the rebound backward into the hands of a hot Eric Bledsoe (24 points, 6 assists, 11-16 FG, 2-3 3PT), but Joe Harris (11 points, 3-3 3PT) pried the ball free yet again for the big slam by Murray (19 points, 8 assists) to give the Spurs a 99-95 lead.
Andre Drummond was a force on the glass, scoring 17 and yanking home 14 rebounds. Drummond even hit a corner 3PTer late in the first quarter, left alone by the Bucks defense. Thomas Bryant came through in the clutch after a cold second quarter, finishing with 8 points, 8 rebounds and burying a 3PTer during one of San Antonio's impressive runs, highlighted by P.J. Tucker burying a three.
