Bucks Zone

3 takeaways from the Milwaukee Bucks' win over the Cleveland Cavaliers

The Bucks snapped the Cavs' four game winning streak after a huge run in the 3rd quarter

Matthew Dugandzic

© Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
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The Milwaukee Bucks erased a big deficit to end the Cleveland Cavaliers' four-game winning streak with a 117-102 victory at Fiserv Forum.

The Bucks were trailing by as many as 16 at one point, but had a blistering third quarter to turn the game around. They showed playoff intensity in the second half, improving their record against Cleveland to 2-0 on the season.

The Bucks are still the team to beat in the East

In the first half, the Bucks looked out of sorts, playing lackluster defense and turning the ball over. The Cavs went into the second half with an 11-point advantage, and it looked like they would extend their win streak to five.

But then the Bucks turned the switch and had their best quarter of the season, proving once again why they are a team to beat in the Eastern Conference. 

Milwaukee outscored the Cavs 35-10 and the Cavs couldn't recover from it. The Bucks' No. 1 rated defense came into play as they held the Cavs to just 16% shooting in the third quarter.

Giannis has been on a tear

After a tough start to November, Giannis Antetokounmpo has seemingly turned it around. He has been great in the last two games, and he continued his onslaught against the Cavs. The 2x MVP finished with 38 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists on 13-20 shooting from the field and 2-3 from three-point range.

Giannis started the year off in a spectacular fashion but has slowed down a little bit after his injury. Now he seems to be back in his element, once again playing at an MVP level.

Bucks have a massive night from distance

One of the problems that have been plaguing the Bucks all season long has been their three-point shooting percentage -- they rank 21st in the league in 3P% and 7th in 3PAs. Milwaukee's shooting has let the team down several times this season, but that wasn't the case against the Cavs.

The Bucks finished the night on 46% shooting from the three-point range. They were on fire in the second half as they went 11-20 from distance, which allowed them to take the lead and secure their 13th win of the season.

What's next

The Milwaukee Bucks welcome the Dallas Mavericks in the last game of their four-game home stand.

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.