Bucks Win 60th Game, Defeat Hawks

The Milwaukee Bucks completed their quest to win 60 games with a 115-107 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night.

The Bucks’ 60-21 record is the best in the league, and they have clinched home court advantage throughout the upcoming NBA playoffs.

The Bucks hope to be the 27^th team to win the NBA championship after winning 60 or more regular season games.

“It’s accomplishment,” said head coach Mike Budenholzer about his team who also stressed the importance of enjoying success. “It states their consistency, their effort, their commitment.”

The Bucks MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo agrees with his coach.

“Six years ago was my first year here and we won 15 games, and now to win four times that amount…it’s pretty special,” Antetokounmpo said. “After basketball I’m going to tell my kids that we won 60 games.”

The Bucks have won 60 or more games in four previous seasons, including in their 1970-71 championship season. The last was during the 1980-81 season.

Milwaukee’s big three of Giannis Antetokounmpo-Eric Bledsoe-Khris Middleton started the game hot, making their first five combined shots, and the Bucks never trailed, the eighth win they have had without falling behind this season.

The Bucks, who average 13.5 made three pointers per game, were 9-for-41 from deep, but made the long-ball when it counted.

The Hawks were able to tighten the Bucks lead with three minutes left and trailed by only three, until a Khris Middleton three, followed by a Khris Middleton three, followed by a Giannis Antetokounmpo three extended the lead to 12 points, and led to the loudest MVP chants of the night.

While the Bucks struggled from outside, they were able to gash the Hawks interior defense, scoring 54 points in the paint.

Giannis finished the game with 30 points on 10 of 15 shooting to go with nine rebounds and three blocks in just 25 minutes of play.

Standing alongside the four-time winner of the award and teammate Pau Gasol, Giannis was awarded the Euroscar European Player of the Year, presented by La Gazzetta Dello Sport. The Euroscar, short for “European basketball’s Oscar,” is presented to the most outstanding European-born player.

The first chants of MVP came during the presentation, but they were certainly not the last.

D.J. Wilson and Sterling Brown continued to make the most of their increased late season minutes, scoring 10 points each.

Alex Len paced the Hawks, scoring a game-high 33 points including six made three pointers.

Atlanta played without two of their promising young stars, as John Collins and Trae Young (whose buzzer-beater layup was enough to beat the Bucks in overtime in the last matchup between the teams) were rested. Dewayne Dedmon and former Buck Miles Plumlee also sat for the Hawks.

The Bucks end the regular season with a home matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and await the start of the NBA playoffs which begin April 13.

ODDS AND ENDS

Happy birthday to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s mother Veronica, who was in attendance.

Also in attendance was former Bucks All-NBA and two-time Defensive Player of the Year Sidney Moncrief, who is a member of this year’s NBA Hall of Fame, and received a standing ovation. Moncrief’s number four is retired by the Bucks, and will join former Buck Jack Sikma in this year’s Hall of Fame ceremony.

The most impressive shot of the game might have the Bucks mascot Bango’s first-try behind the back swish from half-court. It was a much better attempt than the horrendous shot a fan attempted in hoping to win a thousand dollar prize.

The Bucks boast the “world’s largest T-shirt cannon” with not one, not two, not three but four barrels, that shots shirts to every corner of Fiserv Forum.

Outstanding fan chants of the game: “THANKS FOR BUD,” “SHOULD’VE KEPT LUKA,” and “WHERE’S YOUR HEADBAND” which was directed at the Hawks’ Vince Carter. However, the most satisfying was delightful rendition of “If You’re Happy and You Know It” with chants of “60” as the chorus to end the game.