Many NBA fans focus solely on the quality of their team's starters. They urge their teams to get the biggest names while ignoring the depth of their bench. The Milwaukee Bucks showed why depth matters in Game 4 against the Boston Celtics on Monday evening.
The Milwaukee bench thoroughly outplayed the Celtics' bench en route to a 113-101 win that put Boston on the ropes in the best-of-seven-game series. Through three quarters, Milwaukee's reserves outscored Boston's, 28-7.
Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier, and Gordon Hayward all had terrible games, combining to shoot a woeful 3 of 17 from the field. Aron Baynes, who played seven minutes, didn't even attempt a field goal.
The bench for the East's top seed was on the opposite side of the spectrum. Geroge Hill and Pat Connaughton played so well that head coach Mike Budenholzer kept them on the floor in the fourth quarter, even with the game hanging in the balance.
Hill ended up being Milwaukee's second-leading scorer, scoring 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Connaughton played more minutes than all but two starters.
The decisive stretch in the game was the final 3:54 of the third quarter. The Bucks' bench scored the team's final 15 points in the third quarter during those four minutes. This run kept momentum in Milwaukee's favor and enabled the Bucks to sweep both games in Boston.
The Bucks have focused on acquiring depth to surround their two All-Stars all season. It looks like the strategy might be paying off at the most opportune time.
Follow Us
Subscribe