The stretch run of the season has featured it’s share of adversity for Jason Kidd’s Milwaukee Bucks, as a litany of injuries have complicated the team’s adjustment to the changes in their roster after the trade deadline. But with the playoffs just 10 games away, Milwaukee may have found another go-to offensive option.
In a crucial Thursday night matchup against another Eastern Conference postseason hopeful, forward Ersan Ilyasova registered a career night with 34 points on 12-of-14 from the field, including 5-of-6 from deep and 5-of-6 from the free throw line to lead the Bucks to a 111-107 victory over the Indiana Pacers.
Ilyasova’s effort topped his pervious career best of 32 points, set three years ago against the Bulls, and he scored in double figures for the ninth straight game. He also matched the highest scoring output by a Buck this season, tying Brandon Knight’s 34-point effort.
“He was cooking. He was aggressive. He took open shots. He just didn’t settle. He also put the ball on the floor. Everything he shot pretty much went in,” Coach Kidd said of Ilyasova. “He’s also looking for his shot, and his teammates are looking for him. Everybody has been looking for Khris (Middleton). Now they have another guy that has joined trying to help Khris with that.”
Injuries have cost Ilyasova 24 games at various points this season in December, January and February. But after missing the first game out of the All-Star break, he has played in each game since and steadily gotten his legs back under him. It’s showed especially in his most recent performances, and not just on the offensive end, as Coach Kidd noted.
“He’s moving as well as I’ve seen him since I’ve been here,” Jason said. “I think being healthy has helped, but you can tell he’s moving on both ends, offensively and defensively, as well as he has in some time.
The Turkish native, playing in his seventh NBA season, was red-hot out of the gate in Thursday night, setting the tone for his career-high evening. He poured in exactly half of his points for the evening in the first quarter alone, knocking down 7-of-8 attempts in the frame.
Behind his almost unconscious shooting, the Bucks connected on 73.7 percent of their in the first quarter, and they were fantastic on defense as well. Guard Michael Carter-Williams earned a hat-tip from Coach Kidd for his defensive performance early on, which helped Milwaukee hold Indy to just 15 points on 31.6 percent shooting in the opening frame, making it 34-15 after one.
The Pacers climbed back into the game in the second behind 15 points from C.J. Miles, while allowed them to trim the Bucks lead to 59-47 at halftime. Indiana kept the pressure on in a foul-filled second half. The officials called 62 fouls in the game, including 34 against the Bucks. Between the two teams, 15 players finished with three or more fouls.
The Bucks were in the penalty early in the third and fourth quarters and the Pacers benefited from 43 free throw attempts, although they made only 33. Indy cashed in 12 points from the line in the third quarter, and another 14 in the fourth. This played into the gameplan of the physical Pacers squad, allowing them to chip their way back into the contest.
Despite the second half setbacks, the Bucks led 108-101 with about two minutes left. But Indiana continued to battle and used four free throws and a Roy Hibbert jump shot to get within two, 109-107. Giannis Antetokounmpo was fouled on Milwaukee’s next possession but made just 1-of-2 free throws to give the Pacers the ball trailing by three with 11.6 left.
George Hill took the inbound in the halfcourt for Indy, where he was immediately blanketed by Milwaukee defenders. The quick guard curved around the entire defense and tried to create space on the left wing, but he launched up the potential game-tying three with the big hand of Zaza Pachulia in his face, and it fell off target.
“We’ve had big leads, we’ve lost leads, we keep fighting to find a way to get back to the lead then understand we have to get a stop,” J-Kidd said. “I thought the last play was big defensively.”
Jerryd Bayless pulled down the rebound and hit the game-sealing free throw on the other end, putting Milwaukee back at .500 for the season. Middleton finished with 17 points, Carter-Williams filled the stat sheet with 13 points, eight assists, five rebounds and four steals with only two turnovers, and Antetokounmpo added 16 points.
Afterward, Jason was asked about his team’s standing in the playoff race, after their two recent victories gave the Bucks some much needed breathing room in the East. But while some saw the previous six-game skid as a cause for worry, Coach Kidd told reporters after the game that he was never concerned.
“I don’t think we ever thought we were in a race. We’re in the sixth spot,” Jason said. “We will be in the sixth spot until someone overtakes us. Then you have to be concerned. I think the guys have worked extremely hard, understanding these last two games were big. But they have all been big for us. As we get healthy, hopefully we can continue to play the way we have defensively. Then on the offensive end, keep sharing the ball and hoping someone will knock down a shot.”
NEXT UP
The Bucks (36-36) will close the month of March by meeting with the two best teams in the NBA: the Western Conference leading Golden State Warriors (58-13) Saturday night, then the East leading Atlanta Hawks (54-17) on Monday.
Milwaukee fell to the Warriors in Oakland 102-93 earlier this month, and they are 1-2 against the Hawks this season, with one victory in ATL and a pair of losses at their BMO Harris Bradley Center home.
The Warriors will be on the second night of a back-to-back when they come to town after taking on the No. 2 team in the West, the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.
Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET from the BMO Harris Bradley Center.
