2020 CEN DIV CHAMP MIL BUCKS v. 2017 SW DIV CHAMP SA SPURS
Bucks: 56-17, 1st Cen Div, 8th Off, 1st Def
d. Magic East 1st Rnd 4-1
Lost Heat East Semis 4-1
#90 overall seed
d. '02 Mavs (2-0 Middleton/Giannis PotG)
d. '93 Bulls (2-1 Giannis)
d. '85 Lakers (2-1 Giannis)
Regional Final d. '77 Blazers (2-0 Giannis)
Sweet 16: d. '13 Heat (3-2, Middleton/Giannis 2-Series MVP)
Coach: Mike Budenholzer, Asst Vin Baker
Starters
C Brook Lopez 31-Stanford 12 PPG 15 PER 5.5 WS 1.9
F Giannis Antetokounmpo 25 29.5 31.9 11.1 6.6 VORP
F Khris Middleton 28-Texas A&M 20.9 21.1 7.9 2.9
G Eric Bledsoe 30-Kentucky 14.9 17.6 5.4 1.6
G Donte DiVincenzo 23-Villanova 9.2 14.1 4.3 1.3
Rotation Reserves
C Robin Lopez 31-Stanford 5.4 10.2 1.5 -.2
F Ersan Ilyasova 32 6.6 14.9 3.6 .6
F Kyle Korver 38-Creighton 16.6 11.3 2.5 .5
G George Hill 33-IUPUI 9.4 16.9 5.5 1.6
G Pat Connaughton 27-NDame 5.4 11.5 3.4 .8
Leaders: Giannis 5th PPG, 4th Reb, 2nd Reb/Gm, 1st PER, 3rd WS, 1st WS/48, 1st +/- 2nd VORP, 1st Def Rtng, 4th Reb %, 1st Team All NBA
BLopez 2nd Blocks, 2nd Blocks/Gm, 4th Def WS, 5th Def +/- 2nd Def Rtng, 3rd Block %
Middleton 3rd FT%
DiVincenzo 3rd Def Rtng
Hill 1st 3 Pt %, 3rd Off Rtng
25 year old Giannis is top 3 in the Big 5 Cats, he's got the best PER in this series, 28 year old Middleton's over 20 PER also. It's the Covid Bucks, they knocked off the '93 Bulls and '85 Lakers. Really shows the power of ultramodern basketball. Milwaukee's the best defensive team in 2020. Both Giannis and Middleton were named to the All Star team. Giannis won the MVP and the Defensive Player of the Year Award, 31 year old Brook Lopez/30 year old Eric Bledsoe both second team all defense.
Spurs: 61-21, SW Div Champs, 9th in Off, 1st in Def
d. Grizzlies West First Round, 4-2
d. Rockets West Semis 4-0
Lost Warriors West Finals 4-0
#98 overall seed
d. '13 Nuggets (2-0, Kawhi 2 PotG)
d. '91 Suns (2-1, Aldridge/Kawhi)
d. '16 Thunder (2-0 Kawhi/Gasol)
Regional Final: d. '19 Rockets (2-1 Kawhi 2, MVP)
Sweet 16: d. '92 Cavs (3-1 Kawhi/Gasol/Aldridge)
Coach: Gregg Popovich
Starters
C Pau Gasol (36) 12.4 PPG 20.2 PER 6.4 Win Shares 2.5 VORP
F LaMarcus Aldridge (31, Texas) 17.3 18.6 7.2 1.7
F Kawhi Leonard (25, S Diego St) 25.5 27.6 13.6 7.1
G Patty Mills (28, St Marys) 9.5 15.2 5.1 1.6
G Manu Ginobli (39) 7.5 13.9 3 1.1
Rotation Reserves
C Dewayne Dedmon (27, USC) 5.1 16 5.2 .9
F David Lee (33, Florida) 7.3 18.5 5.7 1.4
G Kyle Anderson (23, UCLA) 3.4 12.5 2.7 1
G Tony Parker (34) 10.1 13 3 -.2
G Danny Green 29-UNC 7.3 10.1 3.4 1.3
Leaders: Leonard (3rd PER, 4th Win Shares, 3rd Win Shares/48, 2nd +/1, 3rd VORP, 1st Team All NBA
It's 25 year old Kawhi's Spurs; he's a top 5 player in the league, 36 year old Gasol also is 20+ PER, Kawhi finished 3rd in the MVP voting. We just saw the '04 Spurs lose the Region 1 Final; 13 years later here's the '17 club, the only holdovers are Parker and Ginobli. Kawhi was All Defense first team, Danny Green made the second team. Kawhi was an All Star.
The Spurs loss in the last series means we will not see a single Intra-franchise matchup in the tournament. The 2011 Thunder are into the Final Four and there is one spot left.
Matchup
C Gasol (Spurs)
F Giannis (Bucks)
F Middleton (Kawhi)
G Bledsoe (Bucks)
G Donte (Bucks)
Bench: Spurs
Gm 1: Milwaukee: Fiserv Forum: Marv Albert/Mike Fratello
1Qtr
9 Spurs 7 Bucks 6
Bucks Giannis, Giannis, Bledsoe
Spurs Ginobli(3) Parker, Ginobli
6 Bucks 15 Spurs 12
Bucks Giannis, BLopez, Bledsoe, Donte(1) Giannis
Spurs Gasol(3) Parker
The final Elite 8 matchup.
3 Bucks 25 Spurs 23
Bucks Giannis, Middleton(3) Connaughton, Connaughton(3)
Spurs Gasol, Gasol, Aldridge, Aldridge, Green(3)
1Score Spurs 30 Bucks 27
Bucks Ilyasova
Spurs Aldridge, Green(3) Mills
Kawhi and Giannis are both 25 years old and they are fighting for the last spot in the final 4.
2Qtr
9 Spurs 39 Bucks 27
Bucks
Spurs Lee, Anderson, lee, Kawhi(3)
6 Spurs 49 Bucks 34
Bucks Hill, Hill(3)
Spurs Dedmon, Kawhi, Gasol, Kawhi, Aldridge
Spurs all over Milwaukee now - Kawhi with 7 in the last 6.
3 Spurs 53 Bucks 42
Bucks Giannis(3) Connaughton, BLopez(3)
Spurs Aldridge, Aldridge
HScore Spurs 63 Bucks 46
Bucks BLopez, Bledsoe
Spurs Gasol, Lee, Lee, Aldridge, Kawhi
Aldridge with 8 in the second - the Spurs are just slapping Milwaukee around.
3Qtr
9 Spurs 73 Bucks 51
Bucks Bledsoe, Giannis
Spurs Kawhi, Lee, Kawhi(3) Lee(3)
6 Spurs 83 Bucks 53
Bucks Giannis
Spurs Ginobli, Kawhi(3) Mills(3) Aldridge
A crazy blowout road win for the Spurs.
3 Spurs 89 Bucks 58
Bucks BLopez, Connaughton(3)
Spurs Aldridge, Kawhi, Kawhi
3Score Spurs 97 Bucks 71
Bucks Connaughton, Bledsoe, Middleton(3) BLopez, Middleton, BLopez
Spurs Parker, Aldridge, Parker, Parker
Spurs putting on an offensive show.
4Qtr
9 Spurs 102 Bucks 82
Bucks Giannis, Donte, Korver(3) Bledsoe, Middleton
Spurs Mills, Mills(3)
6 Spurs 106 Bucks 86
Bucks Hill, Ilyasova
Spurs Aldridge, Gasol
No one scores in the next 3
Final Spurs 114 Bucks 95
Bucks Giannis(3) Korver(3) Mason(3)
Spurs Lee(1) Bertans(3) Murray, Murray
Game one never in doubt - Spurs go on the road and roll.
Kawhi: 21 pts/9 assists/6 boards-Player of the Game
Gasol: 13 pts/12 boards
Aldridge: 22 pts/9 boards
Parker: 10 pts
Mills: 10 pts
Lee: 14 pts
Giannis: 24 pts/19 boards/6 assists
Middleton: 10 pts/5 assists
BLopez: 13 pts/5 blocks
Bledsoe: 13 pts
Connaughton: 12 pts/ 5 boards
Gm 2: Milwaukee: Fiserv Forum: Marv Albert/Mike Fratello
1Qtr
9 Bucks 7 Spurs 7
Bucks Middleton, Middleton(3) Donte
Spurs Kawhi(3) Kawhi, Gasol
6 Spurs 17 Bucks 11
Bucks Donte, Giannis
Spurs Aldridge, Gasol(1) Kawhi, Gasol(3) Kawhi
The Bucks can't let this happen again - they have to get this home game for any chance in the series.
3 Spurs 19 Bucks 15
Bucks Bledsoe, Giannis
Spurs Lee
1Score Bucks 26 Spurs 24
Bucks Hill(3) Hill, Korver(3) RLopez(3)
Spurs Mills(3) Mills
The Bucks score the last 8 points and take their first lead.
2Qtr
9 Spurs 34 Bucks 29
Bucks Hill(3)
Spurs Dedmon, Aldridge(3) Green(3) Green
6 Spurs 38 Bucks 36
Bucks Korver, Middleton, Middleton(3)
Spurs Kawhi, Kawhi
The Bucks just need to claw so furiously to get close - San Antonio keeps spurting ahead.
3 Bucks 46 Spurs 43
Bucks Donte, Hill(3) Donte, Hill(3)
Spurs Mills(3) Mills
HScore Bucks 55 Spurs 48
Bucks Giannis, Hill, Middleton(3) Bledsoe
Spurs Gasol(3) Ginobli
George Hill pumps home 11 in the 2nd and Milwaukee has its biggest lead
3Qtr
9 Bucks 61 Spurs 57
Bucks Ilayosva(3) Bledsoe(3)
Spurs Aldridge, Kawhi, Dedmon, Kawhi(3)
6 Bucks 73 Spurs 61
Bucks BLopez(3) Hill, Middleton, Middleton, RLopez
Spurs Ginobli, Aldridge
Steady Bucks lead - they try to salvage the split and send the series to San Antonio.
3 Bucks 82 Spurs 70
Bucks Hill(3) Middleton, BLopez, Middleton
Spurs Aldridge, Gasol, Parker, Kawhi(3)
3Score Bucks 87 Spurs 74
Bucks Giannis, Korver(3)
Spurs Lee, Kawhi
Double digit Milwaukee lead.
4Qtr
9 Bucks 95 Spurs 87
Bucks Giannis(3) Giannis(3) Bledsoe
Spurs Gasol, Aldridge, Mills(3) Lee, Kawhi, Kawhi
6 Bucks 105 Spurs 94
Bucks BLopez, RLopez, Bledsoe, Middleton, Giannis
Spurs Ginobli(1) Lee, Kawhi, Lee
3 Bucks 108 Spurs 101
Bucks Bledsoe(3)
Spurs Gasol, Kawhi(3) Aldridge
FScore Bucks 114 Spurs 104
Bucks Middleton, Middleton, Middleton
Spurs Mills
San Antonio never gets closer than 5 and we head to Texas tied at 1
Middleton: 30 pts/10 boards/6 assists-Player of the Game
Bledsoe: 14 pts/8 boards/8 assists
Giannis: 16 pts/7 boards/5 assists
Hill: 21 pts
Kawhi: 32 pts/6 boards
Gasol: 15 pts/13 boards
Aldridge: 15 pts/13 boards
Mills: 15 pts/5 assists
Lee: 10 pts/6 boards
Gm 3: San Antonio: AT&T Center: Marty Glickman/Clyde
Frazier
1Qtr
9 Bucks 7 Spurs 2
Spurs Aldridge
Bucks Middleton(3) Middleton, Donte
6 Bucks 19 Spurs 9
Spurs Kawhi, Parker(1), Kawhi, Gasol
Bucks Bledsoe(3) Giannis, Middleton, Giannis, Donte(3)
The Spurs easily took game one, but then got brushed off by a 30 point Middleton game and the Bucks forward has 8 to start this one.
3 Bucks 26 Spurs 13
Spurs Parker, Aldridge
Bucks Giannis, Middleton, Middleton(3)
1Score Bucks 31 Spurs 18
Spurs Gasol, Lee(1) Anderson
Bucks BLopez(3) Hill
Double digit Bucks lead right off the rip here in game 3 - Middleton has a dozen
2Qtr
9 Bucks 41 Spurs 18
Spurs
Bucks Hill(3) Hill, Connaughton, Giannis, BLopez(1)
6 Bucks 51 Spurs 28
Spurs Aldridge, Aldridge, Gasol(3) Manu(3)
Bucks Giannis, Bledsoe(3) BLopez(3) Giannis
A blowout, the inverse of game 1 - the Bucks are about to go up 2-1
3 Bucks 59 Spurs 30
Spurs Manu
Bucks Hill, BLopez, BLopez, Bledsoe
HScore Bucks 65 Spurs 40
Spurs Gasol, Aldridge, Aldridge, Lee, Parker
Bucks Middleton, Giannis(3) Bledsoe(1)
13 for Giannis, 14 for Middleton, easy pickings today.
3Qtr
9 Bucks 73 Spurs 45
Spurs Green, Aldridge(3)
Bucks BLopez(1) Bledsoe, BLopez, Giannis(3)
6 Bucks 80 Spurs 53
Spurs Ginobli, Lee, Aldridge, Kawhi
Bucks Hill(3) Bledsoe, Giannis
5 more for Giannis
3 Bucks 87 Spurs 63
Spurs Gasol(3) Parker, Kawhi(3) Dedmon
Bucks Hill(3) RLopez, Middleton
3Score Bucks 96 Spurs 72
Spurs Manu, Kawhi(3) Aldridge, Aldridge
Bucks Hill(3) Middleton(3) Ilyasova(3)
And 5 more for Middleton.
4Qtr
9 Bucks 107 Spurs 79
Spurs Aldridge, Kawhi, Mills(3)
Bucks Bledsoe(3) Bledsoe, Middleton(3) Bledsoe(3)
6 Bucks 109 Spurs 85
Spurs Gasol, Aldridge, Manu
Bucks Giannis
3 Bucks 115 Spurs 94
Spurs Kawhi, Parker, kawhi, Parker, Simmons(1)
Bucks Giannis, Giannis, Wilson
FScore Bucks 120 Spurs 94
Spurs
Bucks Bender(3) Mason
Just never a game, the Bucks woodshed the Spurs and are a game away from the final 4.
Giannis: 26 pts/20 boards/8 assists
Middleton: 22 pts
BLopez: 14 pts/8 blocks
Bledsoe: 21 pts/7 boards
Hill: 18 pts
Kawhi: 18 pts/9 assists/7 boards
Aldridge: 25 pts/12 boards
Gasol: 14 pts/12 boards
Ginobli: 11 pts/6 assists
Parker: 11 pts
Gm 4: San Antonio: AT&T Center: Marty Glickman/Clyde Frazier
1Qtr
9 Bucks 7 Spurs 5
Spurs Kawhi, Parker, Kawhi(1)
Bucks BLopez, Middleton, Giannis(3)
6 Bucks 13 Spurs 9
Spurs Aldridge, Parker
Bucks Giannis(3) BLopez(3)
The Spurs need a win to extend the series. A loss - and we've reached the final 4.
3 Bucks 19 Spurs 13
Spurs Gasol, Ginobli
Bucks Bledsoe, Bledsoe, Giannis
1Score Bucks 30 Spurs 17
Spurs Dedmon, Dedmon
Bucks Middleton, Ilyasova(3) Ilyasova(3) Korver(3)
This looks done - the Spurs ran over the Bucks in game one but have just been pounded by the Bucks since and it's a double digit lead.
2Qtr
9 Bucks 36 Spurs 23
Spurs Bertans, Mills, Aldridge
Bucks Hill(3) RLopez
6 Bucks 44 Spurs 30
Spurs Mills (3) Ginobli(1) Kawhi(3)
Bucks Giannis, Giannis, Donte, Middleton
Giannis has a dozen - the Spurs need to get going soon.
3 Bucks 57 Spurs 33
Spurs Kawhi, Ginobli(1)
Bucks Bledsoe(3) Middleton, BLopez, Middleton(3) Bledsoe(3)
HScore Bucks 67 Spurs 39
Spurs Parker, Parker, Aldridge
Bucks Giannis, Connaughton(3) BLopez, Korver(3)
It's done - the final four is 24 minutes away.
3Qtr
9 Bucks 76 Spurs 47
Spurs Kawhi, Aldridge, Gasol, Aldridge
Bucks Giannis, Giannis, Giannis, Donte(3)
6 Bucks 86 Spurs 54
Spurs Gasol, Kawhi(3) Kawhi
Bucks Ilyasova(3) Middleton, Hill, Giannis(3)
3 Bucks 95 Spurs 60
Spurs Ginobli, Aldridge, Aldridge
Bucks BLopez, Giannis, Middleton, Hill
3Score Bucks 106 Spurs 64
Spurs Parker, Aldridge
Bucks Middleton, Hill(3) Ilyasova, Korver, Bledsoe
The highest score through 3 qtrs in the entire tournament - 106 by the Bucks right now.
4Qtr
9 Bucks 113 Spurs 74
Spurs Lee, Parker, Gasol, Aldridge, Aldridge
Bucks Hill, Giannis, Donte
6 Bucks 119 Spurs 82
Spurs Gasol, Leonard(3) Leonard(3)
Bucks Middleton, Giannis, Giannis
3 Bucks 123 Spurs 89
Spurs Kawhi, Parker(3) Gasol
Bucks RLopez, Giannis
FScore Bucks 128 Spurs 97
Spurs Gasol(3) Gasol(3) Bertans
Bucks BLopez, Bender(3)
Giannis wins his 11th PotG, catching Garnett; they are the clear front runners for Tournament MVP. The Spurs lose all 3 of their Elite 8 matchups and wind up on the outside of the Final Four.
2008 Celtics v. 2018 Warriors
2020 Bucks v. 2011 Thunder
We started at 256. 4 remain.
Giannis: 33 pts/15 boards/9 assists
Middleton: 19 pts/12 boards/6 assists
BLopez: 14 pts/7 boards
Bledsoe: 12 pts/5 assists
Hill: 12 pts/5 boards/5 assists
Ilyasova: 11 pts
All Tournament Team 1st Team
C Duncan ('13 Spurs 7 PotG)
F Garnett ('08 Celtics 11 PotG)
F Giannis ('20 Bucks 11 PotG)
G Westbrook ('11 Thunder 6 PotG)
G Harden ('15 Rockets 7 PotG)
All Tournament Team 2nd Team
C Shaq ('98 Lakers 7 PotG)
F Kawhi ('17 Spurs 8 PotG)
F Durant ('18 Warriors 8 PotG)
G Kobe ('09 Lakers 6 PotG)
G Magic ('89 Lakers 6 PotG)
