Making it look easy: Bucks 102 – Clippers 78
Every now and then, the Bucks show us all that they can still be pretty good. There’s typically a catch though.
Raptors. Nets. Cavs. Wizards. Clippers.
Those are the last five opponents Milwaukee has defeated by double digits. So maybe it’s not time to bust out the hot tubs filled with champagne just yet. Still, it’s fun to see Milwaukee get a convincing win, and that’s certainly what Monday night’s 102-78 victory over the Clippers was.
As Coach Scott Skiles said after the game, “the Bucks were on another level” Monday night. Their passing was crisp and the ball moved freely early. Their defense rotated and helped as well as they have all season. And, finally, they made shots while they were passing and defending well. It was the perfect storm of Bucks basketball. Skiles thought the ball movement was the key.
“Right from the start,” he said, “less dribbling around all over the place and more passing and that’s how we need to play. As a result, we shot the ball well.”
The key early was shooting guard John Salmons dialing up his inner point guard. When Salmons first came into the league, he did so as a big point guard, but eventually moved over to the two. His point guard skills were on display Monday. Salmons dished out four first quarter assists on his was to 12 assists.
When it was all said and done, the Bucks improved to 21-33 and the Clippers fell to 20-35. Those aren’t numbers that should have anyone all that excited, but the more telling one is 4-21: the Clippers new road record. Milwaukee was LA’s seventh stop on a 11 game road trip that goes on beyond the all-star break. So, while it’s fun to see a convincing Bucks win, don’t be fooled just yet.
