Game ID: 22300976
Phoenix Suns @ Milwaukee Bucks
Sunday, March 17, 2024 at 1:00 PM ET
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
MIL 39 43 27 31 140PHX 36 24 34 35 129
MIL vs PHX ScoutingMIL vs PHX Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
MIL availability going into 3/08 · 1 day's restOUT Middleton missed 12 since 2/08, out tonight
BACK Jackson Jr. back 3/01 after 2, 3 min since (29% of 10)
MIL availability going into 3/10 · 1 day's restOUT Middleton missed 13 since 2/08, out tonight
BACK Jackson Jr. back 3/01 after 2, 3 min since (29% of 10)
MIL availability going into 3/12 · 1 day's restOUT Middleton missed 14 since 2/08, out tonight
OUT Beauchamp missed 2 since 3/08, out tonight
OUT Green missed 2 since 3/08, returns tonight: 17 min (155% of 11)
OUT Jackson Jr. missed 2 since 3/08, returns tonight: 7 min (65% of 10)
MIL availability going into 3/14 · 1 day's restOUT Middleton missed 15 since 2/08, out tonight
OUT Beauchamp missed 3 since 3/08, out tonight
BACK Green back 3/12 after 2, 17 min since (155% of 11)
BACK Jackson Jr. back 3/12 after 2, 7 min since (65% of 10)
MIL availability going into 3/17 · 2 days' restOUT Middleton missed 16 since 2/08, returns tonight: 26 min (91% of 28)
OUT Beauchamp missed 4 since 3/08, out tonight
BACK Green back 3/12 after 2, 23 min since (205% of 11)
BACK Jackson Jr. back 3/12 after 2, 7 min since (65% of 10)
MIL availability going into 3/20 · 2 days' restOUT Beauchamp missed 5 since 3/08, out tonight
OUT Jackson Jr. missed 2 since 3/14, out tonight
BACK Middleton back 3/17 after 16, 26 min since (91% of 28)
BACK Green back 3/12 after 2, 20 min since (184% of 11)
MIL availability going into 3/21 · back-to-backOUT Antetokounmpo missed 2 since 3/17, returns tonight: 35 min (99% of 35)
OUT Beauchamp missed 6 since 3/08, out tonight
OUT Jackson Jr. missed 3 since 3/14, out tonight
BACK Middleton back 3/17 after 16, 29 min since (103% of 28)
BACK Green back 3/12 after 2, 17 min since (156% of 11)
MIL availability going into 3/24 · 2 days' restOUT Beauchamp missed 7 since 3/08, returns tonight: 4 min (35% of 12)
OUT Jackson Jr. missed 4 since 3/14, returns tonight: 4 min (35% of 10)
BACK Antetokounmpo back 3/21 after 2, 35 min since (99% of 35)
BACK Middleton back 3/17 after 16, 29 min since (103% of 28)
BACK Green back 3/12 after 2, 17 min since (150% of 11)
MIL availability going into 3/26 · 1 day's restBACK Antetokounmpo back 3/21 after 2, 34 min since (97% of 35)
BACK Middleton back 3/17 after 16, 28 min since (101% of 28)
BACK Beauchamp back 3/24 after 7, 4 min since (35% of 12)
BACK Jackson Jr. back 3/24 after 4, 4 min since (35% of 10)
NEW Green 11 to 16 min over the last 4
PHX availability going into 3/09 · 1 day's restOUT Booker missed 3 since 3/03, out tonight
OUT Okogie missed 3 since 3/03, out tonight
BACK Beal back 3/02 after 5, 31 min since (92% of 34)
BACK Gordon back 3/03 after 3, 25 min since (89% of 28)
NEW O'Neale 25 to 34 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 3/11 · 1 day's restOUT Booker missed 4 since 3/03, returns tonight: 38 min (105% of 36)
OUT Okogie missed 4 since 3/03, out tonight
BACK Beal back 3/02 after 5, 32 min since (96% of 34)
BACK Gordon back 3/03 after 3, 26 min since (93% of 28)
NEW O'Neale 25 to 34 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 3/14 · 2 days' restOUT Okogie missed 5 since 3/03, out tonight
BACK Booker back 3/11 after 4, 38 min since (105% of 36)
BACK Gordon back 3/03 after 3, 26 min since (93% of 28)
NEW O'Neale 25 to 34 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 3/15 · back-to-backOUT Gordon missed 2 since 3/11, returns tonight: 26 min (92% of 28)
OUT Okogie missed 6 since 3/03, out tonight
BACK Booker back 3/11 after 4, 38 min since (105% of 36)
NEW O'Neale 25 to 33 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 3/17 · 1 day's restOUT Okogie missed 7 since 3/03, out tonight
BACK Booker back 3/11 after 4, 37 min since (103% of 36)
BACK Gordon back 3/15 after 2, 26 min since (92% of 28)
PHX availability going into 3/20 · 2 days' restOUT Okogie missed 8 since 3/03, out tonight
BACK Booker back 3/11 after 4, 38 min since (105% of 36)
BACK Gordon back 3/15 after 2, 24 min since (85% of 28)
PHX availability going into 3/21 · back-to-backOUT Okogie missed 9 since 3/03, out tonight
BACK Booker back 3/11 after 4, 37 min since (103% of 36)
BACK Gordon back 3/15 after 2, 22 min since (80% of 28)
PHX availability going into 3/23 · 1 day's restOUT Okogie missed 10 since 3/03, returns tonight: 10 min (62% of 16)
BACK Gordon back 3/15 after 2, 23 min since (81% of 28)
PHX availability going into 3/25 · 1 day's restBACK Gordon back 3/15 after 2, 23 min since (81% of 28)
BACK Okogie back 3/23 after 10, 10 min since (62% of 16)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Milwaukee comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 120, shooting 45 percent and 35 from three, 24 free throws a game; Antetokounmpo at 31 and Lillard at 22 a game. It has lost the glass by 4 a night. Without Middleton (16 straight). 2 days' rest. Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 113, shooting 50 percent and 35 from three, 17 free throws a game; Durant at 30 and Booker at 24 a game. It has won the glass by 9 a night. Without Okogie (7 straight). One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Phoenix has been plus-9 a night and Milwaukee minus-4 and the line, where Milwaukee takes 24 free throws a game to Phoenix's 17. Call it Phoenix 116, Milwaukee 115, Milwaukee keeping it close.
3/08 @ LAL 122-123 — MIL notes
MIL lost 122-123. MIL shot 49% (46 of 93) to LAL's 52%, 16 of 41 from three. Antetokounmpo led with 34 (14 of 23, 1 of 3 from three, 5 of 7 at the line); Lillard added 28, Connaughton 17. Q4 was theirs, 32-27, the deficit cut from 6 to 1, but the other 3 periods went 96-90 against them. Beverley's -16 in 16 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/10 @ LAC 124-117 — MIL notes
MIL won 124-117. MIL shot 49% (43 of 87) to LAC's 45%, 17 of 38 from three, and went to the line 27 times to LAC's 10 — 21 points from the stripe to their 9. The glass went 41-52 against them. Lillard led with 35 (11 of 19, 7 of 13 from three, 6 of 7 at the line); Antetokounmpo added 34, Beasley 17. The hinge was Q3, 32-23: MIL came in trailing by 3 and left it ahead by 6. MIL trailed 59-62 at the half and won the second half 65-55. Beasley was the night's best plus/minus at +20.
3/12 @ SAC 94-129 — MIL notes
MIL lost 94-129. MIL shot 37% (30 of 82) to SAC's 53%, 7 of 39 from three, and went to the line 35 times to SAC's 16 — 27 points from the stripe to their 13. MIL turned it over 13 times to SAC's 8, and SAC turned those into 11 steals. G. Antetokounmpo led with 30 (10 of 17, 10 of 14 at the line); Beasley added 11, Portis 11. Q3 was theirs, 22-20, the deficit cut from 19 to 17, but the other 3 periods went 109-72 against them. Lillard's -22 in 33 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/14 vs PHI 114-105 — MIL notes
MIL won 114-105. MIL shot 54% (39 of 72) to PHI's 49%, 16 of 36 from three, and went to the line 24 times to PHI's 14 — 20 points from the stripe to their 10. Antetokounmpo led with 32 (9 of 12, 14 of 18 at the line); Lopez added 19, Lillard 17. The hinge was Q4, 34-22: MIL came in trailing by 3 and left it ahead by 9. MIL trailed 53-61 at the half and won the second half 61-44. Lillard was the night's best plus/minus at +23.
3/17 vs PHX 140-129 — MIL notes
MIL won 140-129. MIL shot 54% (51 of 94) to PHX's 59%, 24 of 41 from three. Lillard led with 31 (10 of 19, 4 of 8 from three, 7 of 7 at the line); Portis added 31, Middleton 22. The hinge was Q2, 43-24: a lead of 3 became 22, and the lead reached 25. Beverley was the night's best plus/minus at +22.
3/20 @ BOS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Boston comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 103, shooting 49 percent and 45 from three, 16 free throws a game; Brown at 32 and Tatum at 30 a game. That is 5 straight wins. One day's rest. Milwaukee comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 121, shooting 49 percent and 41 from three, 23 free throws a game; Antetokounmpo at 32 and Lillard at 24 a game. 2 days' rest.
So: Boston wins, and the game turns on the defense, Boston allowing 103 a night to Milwaukee's 121 and the line, where Milwaukee takes 23 free throws a game to Boston's 16. Call it Boston 122, Milwaukee 112, Boston by 10.
3/21 vs BKN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Milwaukee comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 120, shooting 50 percent and 43 from three, 23 free throws a game; Antetokounmpo at 32 and Lillard at 25 a game. Without Antetokounmpo (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Brooklyn comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 106 a night and allowing 112, shooting 45 percent and 35 from three, 24 free throws a game; Thomas at 26 and Bridges at 16 a game. That is 4 straight losses. Without Clowney (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Milwaukee wins, and the game turns on the arc, Milwaukee at 43 percent from three to Brooklyn's 35 and the defense, Brooklyn allowing 112 a night to Milwaukee's 120. Call it Milwaukee 117, Brooklyn 113, Brooklyn keeping it close.
3/24 vs OKC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Milwaukee comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 119, shooting 49 percent and 42 from three, 20 free throws a game; Antetokounmpo at 28 and Lillard at 24 a game. 2 days' rest. OKC comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 112, shooting 49 percent and 36 from three, 21 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 27 and Jal. Williams at 22 a game. That is 4 straight wins. One day's rest.
So: OKC wins, on the road, and the game turns on the arc, Milwaukee at 42 percent from three to OKC's 36 and the glass, where OKC has been plus-4 a night and Milwaukee minus-2. Call it OKC 118, Milwaukee 117, Milwaukee keeping it close.
3/26 vs LAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Milwaukee comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 111, shooting 52 percent and 45 from three, 16 free throws a game; Antetokounmpo at 28 and Lillard at 24 a game. One day's rest. The Lakers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 118, shooting 52 percent and 41 from three, 27 free throws a game; James at 26 and Davis at 22 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Vanderbilt (21 straight), Vincent (43 straight), Wood (15 straight). One day's rest.
So: Milwaukee wins, and the game turns on the line, where the Lakers take 27 free throws a game to Milwaukee's 16 and the defense, Milwaukee allowing 111 a night to the Lakers' 118. Call it Milwaukee 121, the Lakers 116.
3/09 vs BOS 107-117 — PHX notes
PHX lost 107-117. PHX shot 51% (44 of 87) to BOS's 49%, 9 of 31 from three. Durant led with 45 (18 of 26, 4 of 7 from three, 5 of 7 at the line); Beal added 25, Bol 13. Q3 was theirs, 28-25, the deficit cut from 12 to 9, but the other 3 periods went 92-79 against them. Eubanks's -20 in 11 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/11 @ CLE 117-111 — PHX notes
PHX won 117-111. PHX shot 55% (46 of 84) to CLE's 48%, 12 of 32 from three. Durant led with 37 (14 of 26, 5 of 10 from three); Booker added 27, Beal 24. The hinge was Q3, 34-21: PHX came in trailing by 7 and left it ahead by 6. PHX trailed 63-70 at the half and won the second half 54-41. Durant was the night's best plus/minus at +13.
3/14 @ BOS 112-127 — PHX notes
PHX lost 112-127. PHX took 10 more shots (99 to 89), fed by 19 offensive rebounds, but shot 47% to BOS's 53%, 11 of 31 from three. PHX turned it over 13 times to BOS's 8, and BOS turned those into 12 steals. The glass went 51-33 for them. Booker led with 23 (9 of 20, 1 of 6 from three); Beal added 22, Allen 20. Q4 was theirs, 27-25, the deficit cut from 17 to 15, but the other 3 periods went 102-85 against them. Beal's -21 in 36 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/15 @ CHA 107-96 — PHX notes
PHX won 107-96. PHX shot 46% (40 of 87) to CHA's 37%, 11 of 38 from three, and got to the line 20 times to CHA's 27. PHX turned it over 10 times to CHA's 4. Booker led with 21 (6 of 18, 1 of 8 from three, 8 of 8 at the line); Allen added 17, Beal 15. The hinge was Q3, 38-22: a lead of 9 became 25. Booker was the night's best plus/minus at +17.
3/17 @ MIL 129-140 — PHX notes
PHX lost 129-140. PHX shot 59% (51 of 87) to MIL's 54%, 14 of 33 from three. Beal led with 28 (11 of 15, 1 of 3 from three, 5 of 6 at the line); Allen added 25, Booker 23. Q3 was theirs, 34-27, the deficit cut from 22 to 15, but the other 3 periods went 113-95 against them. Nurkić's -17 in 20 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/20 vs PHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 118, shooting 51 percent and 35 from three, 16 free throws a game; Durant at 25 and Booker at 24 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. Without Okogie (8 straight). 2 days' rest. Philadelphia comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 94 a night and allowing 96, shooting 43 percent and 34 from three, 16 free throws a game; Maxey at 27 and Oubre Jr. at 18 a game. It has lost the glass by 6 a night. Without Embiid (22 straight), Harris (2 straight), Melton (10 straight). One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the defense, Philadelphia allowing 96 a night to Phoenix's 118 and the glass, where Phoenix has been plus-7 a night and Philadelphia minus-6. Call it Phoenix 111, Philadelphia 109, Philadelphia keeping it close.
3/21 vs ATL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 115, shooting 51 percent and 39 from three, 14 free throws a game; Booker at 22 and Allen at 22 a game. It has won the glass by 10 a night. Without Okogie (9 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Atlanta comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 115, shooting 44 percent and 39 from three, 17 free throws a game; Murray at 26 and Johnson at 23 a game. It has lost the glass by 4 a night. Without Young (12 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Phoenix has been plus-10 a night and Atlanta minus-4 and the turnovers, Phoenix giving it away 14 times a game to Atlanta's 11. Call it Phoenix 118, Atlanta 114, Atlanta keeping it close.
3/23 @ SAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
San Antonio comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 109, shooting 44 percent and 29 from three, 22 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 21 and Vassell at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Second night of a back-to-back. Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 116, shooting 51 percent and 42 from three, 16 free throws a game; Booker at 23 and Allen at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 10 a night. Without Okogie (10 straight). One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, on the road, and the game turns on the arc, Phoenix at 42 percent from three to San Antonio's 29 and the glass, where Phoenix has been plus-10 a night and San Antonio plus-5. Call it Phoenix 115, San Antonio 113, San Antonio keeping it close.
3/25 @ SAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
San Antonio comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 115, shooting 44 percent and 28 from three, 23 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 21 and Vassell at 18 a game. That is 3 straight losses. One day's rest. Phoenix comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 112, shooting 54 percent and 44 from three, 16 free throws a game; Booker at 25 and Allen at 19 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, on the road, and the game turns on the arc, Phoenix at 44 percent from three to San Antonio's 28 and the line, where San Antonio takes 23 free throws a game to Phoenix's 16. Call it Phoenix 117, San Antonio 113, San Antonio keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
PHXBB B. Beal
BB B. Bol
DB D. Booker
DE D. Eubanks
DR D. Roddy
EG E. Gordon
GA G. Allen
IW I. Wainright
JN J. Nurkić
KD K. Durant
NU Nurkic
RO R. O'Neale
MILAG A. Green
BL B. Lopez
BP B. Portis
DL D. Lillard
JC J. Crowder
KM K. Middleton
MB M. Beasley
PB P. Beverley
PC P. Connaughton
PHX/MIL the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Lillard, Portis pace Bucks past Suns 140-129 without Antetokounmpo
MILWAUKEE -- — Damian Lillard had 31 points and 16 assists and Bobby Portis had 31 points and 10 rebounds to lead Milwaukee past the Phoenix Suns 140-129 on Sunday, as the Bucks hit 24 3-pointers to win without star Giannis Antetokounmpo .
Antetokounmpo, averaging 30.8 points and 11.2 rebounds, was out with left hamstring soreness. He missed just his fourth game of the season and first since March 4, when he was out with Achilles tendinitis.
“It’s not an injury, we were just concerned a little bit,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. “Plus, when you look at the schedule, you have one, two, three, four, five days off. We planted it in him and he had to do it. We’re happy that he decided to do it.”
Phoenix trailed 109-94 after three quarters, but closed within 122-115 on a lay-in by Bradley Beal with 6:17 left. Lillard’s 3-pointer from the top left put Milwaukee up 134-120 with 3:18 remaining.
“I just wanted to come out and be in attack mode,” said Lillard, who became the first Bucks player in history to have a 30-point, 15-assist game. “I didn’t really think to myself I’m going to have to score a bunch of points. I just knew I had to be a problem for the defense.”
Khris Middleton added 22 points for Milwaukee in his first game back after missing 16 games with a sprained left ankle. The Bucks finished 24 of 41 from 3-point range, with Portis and Malik Beasley hitting five apiece.
“I thought it was huge, especially with Giannis being out,” Lillard said of Middleton’s return. “Any time you’re down your best player and then you add another weapon to a team that’s already down, it’s a pick-me-up just because we’re excited to have him back.”
Beal had 28 points, Grayson Allen had 25 points and Devin Booker scored 23 for Phoenix.
Milwaukee’s 18 first-half 3-pointers matched the NBA record for 3-pointers in the opening half held by the Suns and Utah Jazz .
“They changed their team, obviously, with Giannis not being in there, and Dame is an elite attacker that requires you to really extend your defense on him,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said. “The risk in that is exposing the 3-point line.”
Portis came off the bench for 25 first-half points, hitting 10 of 13 shots, including 5 of 5 from beyond the arc, in just under 13 minutes.
Allen’s 3-pointer capped an 11-point run that brought the Suns within 93-83 with just over 4 ½ minutes left in the third quarter. Lillard hit a 3-pointer from the edge of the logo just ahead of the buzzer to put Milwaukee up 109-94 entering the final period.
Milwaukee moved 1 ½ games ahead of Cleveland for the second-best record in the East. Phoenix entered in sixth place in the West, a half-game ahead of Sacramento and a game in front of Dallas.
UP NEXT
Suns: Host the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.
Bucks: Visit the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.