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The road to 60 wins is not straight. There are moments of glory, emotional beating, backtracking, upheaval and difficult performance behind back-to-back. There are also disappointments, choking, injuries and nights when nothing goes.
Sunday night at the Fiserv Forum, the Milwaukee Bucks nearly dropped the leash lead a 17-point lead against the modest Atlanta Hawks. They played poorly most of the night, only 9 of 41 (22%) in three points and lost the ball – perhaps too much – without being up to the best team in the NBA.
Giannis Antetokounmpo dominated his score of 30 points in the first quarter on Sunday. (Photo: Jeff Hanisch / USA TODAY Sports)
But when time was running out, their stars were there to slam the door. Giannis Antetokounmpo hit a clumsy runner during a goal, Khris Middleton got a shooter's rebound while scoring two consecutive points, then Antetokounmpo scored a goal to three while the Bucks turned a three-point match into a comfortable 115 – 107 victory at the Forum Fiserv.
It's not always good, but in the standings, it counts as much as their memorable victories on the road in Denver, Oakland, Toronto and Philadelphia. With one more to their account, the popular song "Bucks in 6" has been multiplied by 10 while a song of "60 wins" has erupted in the moments of decline of the game.
"Six years ago, it was my first year here and we (had) 15 wins," said Antetokounmpo. "Now we have four times that amount – it's big – our goal for the season was not to win 60 wins, but you absolutely have to appreciate every moment of it – it's pretty special." basketball, I will tell my kids that I've won 60, 60 wins. "
THE SCORE OF THE BOX: Bucks 115, Hawks 107
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The Bucks have recorded 60 wins for the fifth time in their history for the first time since the 1980-1981 season and have one more game left. It seems appropriate that the Bucks (60-21) managed the feat against the former coach Mike Budenholzer's team, which he notably led to a 60-22 season in 2014-15 by earning the NBA coach title of the year.
With this win, Budenholzer became the seventh coach to win 60 games with multiple teams, according to ESPN. The other six are Mike D's Antoni, Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, Rick Adelman, Don Nelson and K.C. Jones
"Probably just trying to enjoy it a little more," Budenholzer said to the question of what he had learned by reaching 60 wins a second time. "Having lived different things, different places, it allows me to appreciate the group and what they did, what they accomplished …
"This group, its work ethic, from the beginning, really the summer, its focus, its efforts – just to take advantage of that kind of solidarity and commitment to what we do at both ends. Are very lucky. "
Antetokounmpo, even though he was limited to 25 minutes, had 30 points on 10 out of 15 shots, a top of the team, nine rebounds and three assists, including nine points in the fourth quarter to ensure victory. Middleton added eight of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, including the pair of triples that gave Bucks leeway.
These two pilots propelled a starting unit that dominated the Hawks (29-52) throughout the night, with each runner having finished the evening at least 14-plus during his stint on the field. With budding young stars Trae Young and John Collins among the many Hawks set aside, the remaining Atlanta players are no match for Milwaukee starters.
But with the playoffs in less than a week, the Bucks have taken a cautious approach. Budenholzer was liberal with his submarines running the minutes tied, with nine players scoring 20 minutes or more and no more than 27 minutes and a half of Sterling Brown. With reserves on the ground, the Bucks have failed to get enough throws or to match the Hawks' energy, especially with Atlanta center Alex Len, who's hot late with 15 of his 33 points, a top in the game, registered in the fourth quarter.
The Bucks folded from time to time but did not break, they did not hang out to become the only team to reach 60 wins this season.
"I think you enjoy more in the summer when you look back," said Antetokounmpo. You enjoy it a little now, but if you enjoy the moment too long, you lose track of what is important. The important thing is to get better every day, so it's one more day at the office, man. You just have to do your job, enjoy it a bit, then come back the next day and do your work again. "
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Before the match, Antetokounmpo was awarded the EuroPlayer 2018-1919 prize as the best European basketball player on behalf of the Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport. He has received the award from long-time columnist La Gazzetta, Massimo Lopes Pegna, at a mid-term ceremony that brought together his teammate Bucks and four-time EuroPlayer Award winner, Pau Gasol.
Over the past 40 years, the award has been voted by a selection of European players from around the world, including European NBA players.
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