Milwaukee vs. Charlotte Game Review & 3 Takeaways from Bucks Beating Hornets

On November 26, 2024By Littum

In a game that ended closer than Doc Rivers would have liked, the Milwaukee Bucks were able to get the job done against the Charlotte Hornets, 125-119.

Read our full recap of the game here, and get a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast Pants in six minutes under.

What did we learn?

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard continue to thrive with each other. Last night they got a total of 63 points. Antetokounmpo finished with 32 points, while Dame had 31 of his own. This season has continued to show their improved chemistry with each other. Before the game, I asked Doc Rivers what he has noticed in terms of improvements with their communication from this year compared to last year. Here is what he had to say:

“I think it would be like… you know, I know you (the media) more. It’s been a year, almost close to a year. And you just get to know each other better. You learn their tendencies to know and they want to get it right. I think it takes time. We all remember the finished product .We can’t remember how long it took Klay and Steph to get it started offensively in the NBA and it took them years. It didn’t just happen overnight. So in their (Giannis and Dames) case, you can see it coming.”

Lillard and Antetokounmpo have each reached the 30-point mark in four games this season, marking the most such games by any duo and the most 30-point games by any team in the NBA this season.

Three observations

Milwaukee let Charlotte back into this one, but Doc Rivers didn’t seem too concerned.

This was a great opportunity for the Bucks to really put a team away, but the chance slipped through their fingers. In his postgame, Doc attributed it to the team’s shot selection and abandonment of defense. He also mentioned how it was the last game on a home field and a back-to-back. He didn’t want to have to put Giannis back on the court late, but was kind of pressured to do so as Charlotte kept lingering around. He then expressed knowledge of how they will look at tapes and adjust things as needed.

LaMelo Ball is a thrill to watch.

It was a career night for LaMelo Ball as he finished with 50 points on the night. He took a ton of shots, going 17/37 from the floor and 6/17 from beyond the arc. He also recorded a double-double by dishing out ten assists. Andre Jackson Jr. got the first assignment on him and kept him in check to begin with, but Doc mentioned how he thought the tide turned at the beginning of the third quarter. Ball ended up scoring 40 points in the second half. Rivers also discussed how a majority of the shots he took were ones the Bucks were fine with and that he was happy with the defense being played on him, especially when looking at his line of shooting. As I said in the Brew Hoop group chat, the league and NBA fans outside the Bay Area should give thanks Golden State Warriors to choose James Wiseman instead of him.

It was another hot-shooting night from Gary Trent Jr. from the bench.

This has been a role in which he has thrived. Originally signed with the intention of being in the starting five, Trent has accepted his current role with the team and provided consistency off the bench. Last night marked another multi-three game for him as he connected on 4/5 from downtown, culminating in 16 points. It now seems that his drought of scoring from deep was ages ago. He has scored more than 15 points in back-to-back games and is averaging 13.0 points per game. game while shooting 59.5% from three since November 13th. The other night, Doc mentioned how dangerous the Bucks’ depth can be, especially from the perimeter. . If someone is having an off night, it’s quite likely that someone else will step in. It looks to be a completely different story from last season, and that will be a quality this team will greatly appreciate when it comes to the playoffs.

Bonus Bucks Bits

Brandon Miller also put on a show for the Hornets. He was also a shooting machine, hoisting 23 of his own attempts. He would connect on six threes en route to a 32-point performance. The Hornets are establishing a true duo in he and Ball, and it will be exciting to see what Charles Lee can shape out of these two.
The Hornets colors are my favorite in the league. The teal and purple are just a classic look. It screams 1990s, yet it’s still perfect. A 10/10.
Taurean Prince also had another multi-three game, finishing on two 3-pointers very early in this one. I actually think it was during the first 90 seconds of the game. He continues to provide a boost from the perimeter as Khris Middleton nears his return.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 32 points for his third straight 30-point game and 10th game in the league this season with 30+ points. He has now scored 20+ points on 50% shooting in each of his first 16 games this season, marking the longest such streak to open a season in NBA history. Antetokounmpo also reached 19,020 career points tonight, becoming the ninth active player and 65th overall in league history with 19,000 career points.
The Bucks closed out their season-long four-game homestand with a perfect 4-0 mark. Milwaukee has now won six consecutive home games and six of the last seven overall to improve to 7-3 at Fiserv Forum this season and 7-5 overall in November.

The Bucks are now off until Tuesday when they travel to South Beach to take on the Miami Heat in NBA Cup action. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 PM CDT and the action can be seen on TNT.