The Milwaukee Bucks are back to their winning ways. The defending NBA champions won their third straight game as they beat the Sacramento Kings, 133-127, and they did so without superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Unsurprisingly, the Bucks’ resurgence has coincided with star guard Jrue Holiday’s return to the lineup after a two-week absence.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns kept up their recent hot streak with another big win, and the Cleveland Cavaliers continued to roll as they took care of the Oklahoma City Thunder thanks to another double-double from Darius Garland, who is looking more and more like a legitimate All-Star.
Read on for SBOTOP’s three key takeaways from all three games on the NBA schedule.
Jrue Holiday’s return a big deal for Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are back on track. They beat the Sacramento Kings 133-127 to claim their third consecutive win since the return of Jrue Holiday to the lineup.
Holiday had 26 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Khris Middleton had 34 points in 34 minutes as the Bucks withstood the absence of star big man Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Bucks clearly missed Holiday, who sat out the last couple of weeks due to an ankle injury. They went on a horrific 2-6 slide without their star guard, who helps sets the tone on the defensive end with his suffocating on-ball defence.
Aside from his defence, Holiday also has a significant part to play offensively as the team’s primary ball handler and playmaker. So while his season numbers – 17.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.5 assists – aren’t particularly impressive, his positive impact on the team is undeniable.
Holiday was a major factor in the Bucks’ championship run last season, and he is showing again with his return just how crucial he is in their quest to win it all again. If he, Giannis, and Middleton are all healthy, no one should discount the Bucks’ NBA 2022 odds of successfully defending their title.
Surging Suns looking good to secure top seed
Meanwhile out West, the Phoenix Suns – who lost to the Bucks in last year’s NBA Finals – are looking good to grab the No. 1 seed overall seed. The Suns took care of the Indiana Pacers 113-103 to win their sixth straight game and their ninth in their last 10 games.
With Devin Booker (11 points, 5-23 FG) having a rough shooting game, Mikal Brides led the team with 23 points. Chris Paul added 18 points and 16 rebounds, while backup big man Bismack Biyombo had 21 points and 13 rebounds off as he continues to get minutes in the absence of Deandre Ayton.
Thanks to their recent spurt, the Suns are now 3.5 games ahead of the Golden State Warriors for the best record in the West, which is a substantial lead over halfway through the season.
The Suns don’t seem particularly better than they were when they made their improbable run to the Finals last year. Chris Paul’s scoring is down to a career-low 14 points per game, while Devin Booker has not made the massive leap any were hoping for this season. But they are somehow still grinding out the wins, which is a testament to their stellar teamwork.
Of course, the big challenges will come in the playoffs, where the likes of Paul and Booker need to raise their respective games for the Suns to win it all.
But in terms of winning regular-season games and securing that valuable No. 1 seed and homecourt advantage throughout the postseason, the Suns don’t seem to have too many problems at the moment.
Cavs’ Darius Garland worthy of All-Star nod
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the biggest surprises this season. And despite season-ending injuries to two of their top three guards, the Cavs keep chugging along, getting some excellent NBA 2022 results.
They took care of the Oklahoma City Thunder 94-87, to collect their sixth win in their last seven games.
Guard Darius Garland had another terrific night with 23 points and 11 assists, his fourth-straight game of 20 or more points and 11 or more assists.
The 21-year-old point guard’s breakout season has been a massive reason for the Cavs’ success. He’s averaging 19.8 points and 8 assists per game and is making a very strong case to be the Cavs’ representative to the All-Star Game, which will be held in Cleveland.
With the injures to Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio, the Cavs are relying on Garland now more than ever. But instead of shrinking from the challenge, Garland seems to be thriving with the added responsibility.
It remains to be seen whether Garland will get into the All-Star team amid the strong competition in the East. But without a doubt, he has played like an All-Star for most of the season, and who knows where the Cavs would be without him.
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