The Milwaukee Bucks lost 112-100 to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Fiserv Forum on Friday despite playing some of their best defense of the year. They also had one of their hardest offensive performances.

During a nearly nine-minute span in the third quarter, the Bucks (31-14) missed 11 consecutive attempts and gave up six baskets, turning a 63-57 advantage into a 74-65 deficit.

Bucks center Brook Lopez stated, “We put a bit too much pressure on our guys, but they’re obviously a good defensive team.”

“We must make things simpler for them. I admit that tonight wasn’t the best. I was capable of much more. I myself could have done better in a lot of areas tonight. Although I believe I could have assisted, I was unable to finish it tonight.

Though, for a club that features Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, and Khris Middleton, being behind by nine points is usually not an overwhelming advantage.

However, the Bucks were unable to overcome the Cavaliers (27-16), who entered the game with the third-best scoring defense and the fourth-best shooting defense in the league, during the last 14 minutes of play.

Following a foul on Dean Wade by Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee pulled within 104-95. However, Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff saw the call during his protracted pre-free throw routine, challenged it, and succeeded in having it overturned. With fewer than two minutes left, the Cavaliers scored after the Bucks turned the ball over, effectively sealing the victory 106-95.

Lillard made 7 of 23 shots for 22 points, including 2 of 10 from beyond the three-point arc. Middleton scored 14 points on 5 of 16 shots, while Brook Lopez scored 11 points on 4 of 14 shots from the field. With 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists, Antetokounmpo led the Bucks.

With a 112-100 victory, the Cavaliers slow down Giannis and the Bucks.

It took less than two minutes for Bucks guard Malik Beasley, who is having one of his best three-point shooting seasons in team history, to have his first opportunity.

“We reduced our speed,” Bobby Portis remarked. “We’re going toward matches. The ball wasn’t moving side to side, and we weren’t playing side to side. Tonight, we played a bunch of one-on-one. We were attempting to take advantage of this and that mismatch, so I believe we kind of basically screwed ourselves tonight.

Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points to lead Cleveland, while Jarret Allen recorded a double-double with 24 points and 14 rebounds.

Following the game, Antetokounmpo and Middleton made the decision not to talk with the media.

Cavaliers impede Giannis Antetokounmpo’s progress.

The Cavaliers head coach, J.B. Bickerstaff, expressed his dissatisfaction with his team’s defense of Giannis Antetokounmpo before Friday’s game. This was partly due to the fact that the MVP candidate not only scored 35 points on 24 shots but also dished out 10 assists.

Essentially, Bickerstaff wants his team to choose its poison: either Antetokounmpo makes plays but fails to create opportunities for others to score, or the other way around. Additionally, Bickerstaff expressed his desire for tighter, more forceful paint defense to thwart Antetokounmpo’s shot attempts prior to Friday’s contest.

And it’s exactly what his group did.

Antetokounmpo only attempted seven shots in the first half, but he made all of them to score 17 points. After that, he had six assists in the Bucks’ 57-54 halftime advantage.

But he also got two foul calls, one of which was called offensively.

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Antetokounmpo only shot 1 for 4 for two points in the third quarter and was flagged for an additional offensive foul. The next five minutes of the fourth quarter saw him pick up his fourth and fifth fouls, the latter of which was his third offensive foul.

He was forced to wait until the 7 minutes and 17 second mark, when the Bucks were behind 96–82. Even so, it was too late because the Bucks’ offensive rhythm had already been established.

Antetokounmpo’s run of three straight games was broken.

Top NBA prop bets Jan.26: Giannis Antetokounmpo aims to maintain his form against the Cavaliers