The Milwaukee Bucks orchestrated the largest comeback of the NBA season so far, erasing a 26-point third-quarter deficit to secure a thrilling 108-102 victory against the Portland Trail Blazers in a remarkable display of resilience on Sunday.
Trailing 81-55 with 9:08 left in the third quarter, the Bucks executed an impressive 58-21 run to close out the game, outscoring the Trail Blazers by 32 points in the remaining minutes.
Milwaukee’s dynamic duo, Damian Lillard (17 points) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (15 points), single-handedly outscored the Trail Blazers during this pivotal stretch. Antetokounmpo, concluding the game with 33 points, broke the deadlock with a crucial basket tip-in with just 18.5 seconds remaining, securing the Bucks’ comeback triumph.
Reflecting on the challenging start, Antetokounmpo acknowledged, “Sometimes we just make it tough on ourselves. We can’t start the game like that. We should not be down 26 and then try to come and win the game.”
The Trail Blazers, with over a 98% chance of winning during the third quarter according to ESPN’s win probability analytics, witnessed one of the most significant comebacks in recent franchise history by the Bucks.
This comeback ranks as the second-largest for Milwaukee in the past 25 seasons, following a 27-point turnaround against Chicago in 2012. Despite playing without forward Khris Middleton, sidelined due to Achilles tendinitis, the Bucks showcased resilience and determination.
Bucks coach Adrian Griffin, addressing Middleton’s absence, remarked, “I think things are promising. We’ll see [about playing Tuesday]. We’ll just keep evaluating him every day and see how he feels each day.”
The game marked the first time Damian Lillard faced Portland since his trade to Milwaukee, scoring 31 points against his former team. Lillard’s performance made him the 15th player in NBA history to score 30 points against 30 different franchises, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
In a peculiar twist, Sunday’s matchup also marked the second consecutive game where both Lillard and Antetokounmpo scored 30 points, a feat not achieved by Bucks teammates since Marques Johnson and Brian Winters in 1978.
“As the season moves forward, we’re going to figure out ways to play with one another,” Antetokounmpo commented. “The moment we are clicking on a higher level, it’s going to become even more scary as we move forward.”
By ESPN
