Warriors Dominate Bucks with Impressive 125-90 Victory.

The game commenced with Draymond Green assigned to guard Giannis Antetokounmpo. Jonathan Kuminga also had several chances before coach Steve Kerr opted to give rookie Tracye Jackson-Davis some playing time.

Jackson-Davis had extensively analyzed the tendencies of the Bucks’ big man and understood his inclination to “drive left and spin back right” before making a move towards the basket.

With the team at full strength for the first time in months, Golden State utilized a variety of defensive strategies against Antetokounmpo while showcasing their depth and talented bench.

Stephen Curry led the scoring with 29 points, supported by Kuminga’s contribution of 20, as the Warriors sailed to a commanding 125-90 triumph over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night, handing the Bucks their first loss since the All-Star break.

“He’s an exceptional player and a challenging matchup. Credit to our defense for attempting to contain him,” said Jackson-Davis. “I’ve never encountered anyone with his length before.”

After being down by 20 points at halftime, Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard spearheaded a 19-5 run in the third quarter to bring the Bucks back into the game. However, Curry, who also grabbed eight rebounds and dished out five assists, resumed his dominance.

Jackson-Davis scored 15 points, including four of Golden State’s season-high 13 blocked shots, matching his career best. Kuminga added three more blocks.

Antetokounmpo, who was uncertain to play in the game due to left Achilles tendinitis after missing Monday night’s win against the Clippers, ended up with 23 points and seven rebounds.

“It takes a collective effort to guard that guy, and we needed everyone for sure,” said Kerr.

Lillard finished the game with 20 points, sinking five 3-pointers and providing six assists in his first game back at Chase Center since being traded by the rival Trail Blazers to the Bucks last October. Bobby Portis also contributed 20 points for the Bucks.

Green sank two late 3-pointers and concluded the game with 12 points, while Klay Thompson chipped in with 10 points off the bench. The Warriors held a comfortable 78-58 lead at halftime, their largest halftime advantage of the season.

Milwaukee boasted the best defensive rating since the All-Star break but suffered their first defeat during that period after winning six consecutive games. They had held their opponents below 110 points and limited them to under 100 points in four of those contests.

“I didn’t think it was our defense, I thought it was our offense,” said coach Doc Rivers. “I didn’t feel like we executed solid offense throughout the night.”

The Bucks missed an opportunity to match their longest winning streak of the season at seven, which they achieved from December 11 to 23. Milwaukee had won eight of their last 10 games and previously defeated the Warriors 129-118 at home on January 13.

Golden State started the game strongly, shooting 11 for 16 from the field. Curry made his first five shots, including two 3-pointers, and the Warriors amassed 40 points in the first quarter for the second time this season. It marked their ninth 40-point quarter overall. However, they only managed to score 15 points in the third quarter, matching their lowest scoring quarter of the season.

In the fourth quarter, the Warriors outscored the Bucks 32-9.

The Bucks had not scored nine or fewer points in any quarter since they managed only eight points in the first quarter against Miami on December 22, 2018. They hadn’t been limited to nine or fewer points in the final period since scoring nine points against Toronto on February 2, 2015, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The Warriors bounced back after their disappointing 140-88 loss in Boston on Sunday, during which Curry went 2 of 13 and missed all nine of his 3-point attempts.

Golden State forward Andrew Wiggins returned from a four-game absence due to a family matter and played only 14 minutes as the Warriors secured their 14th victory in their last 18 games.

During a timeout in the second quarter, the Warriors acknowledged their former general manager, Bob Myers, as he worked on the broadcast, with his three daughters joining in the celebration.