Head coach Doc Rivers overhauled the Milwaukee Bucks’ lineup Saturday night, and the move snapped a four-game slide with a 113-99 victory over the Utah Jazz.
The reshuffled starters featured Giannis Antetokounmpo alongside Ryan Rollins, Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma and Ousmane Dieng. “I love the starters because of our size,” Rivers said, adding that the ball “flew up the floor” during the game’s opening minutes.
Guard Cam Thomas logged just six minutes off the bench, his smallest workload since arriving in Milwaukee. “Tonight wasn’t the night,” Rivers said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that can play.” Antetokounmpo did not play in Sunday’s matchup against Orlando.
Brooklyn Nets
While Brooklyn staged a dramatic comeback win in Detroit on Saturday, rookie wing Drake Powell was assigned to the G League’s Long Island Nets. Over his last 17 NBA appearances, the 20-year-old has averaged 5.2 points in 19.1 minutes, shooting 35.4 percent from the field and 20.9 percent from three. The Nets recalled Powell on Sunday.
New York Knicks
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson has traded scoring for playmaking in recent outings. Entering Sunday, he had posted three consecutive games with double-digit assists, though he is shooting 36.2 percent in five March contests. Against the Lakers on Sunday, Brunson recorded seven assists and seven turnovers. “They’re switching, they’re blitzing, they’re trying to throw the kitchen sink at him,” coach Mike Brown said. “He’s doing a great job of getting off the ball.”
Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta collected its sixth straight win Saturday, powered by Jalen Johnson’s 35-point performance in a 125-116 decision over Philadelphia. Johnson scored nine of those points in the fourth quarter and added 10 rebounds and seven assists. “I’m always locked in,” he said. “When the momentum’s high … emotions are running much higher than they are at the beginning of the game.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
