Despite the Bucks defeating the Pistons 130-115, and securing their fifth win this season, the real story is what happened moments after tipoff in Milwaukee.
The Bucks and Pistons both elected to take a knee amid the chaos that took place at the U.S. Capitol and to protest the news that the Wisconsin police officer would not be charged in the shooting of Jacob Blake.
“At the end of the day, when I stop playing basketball and while I’m playing basketball, my kid is gonna grow up here in America. My kid is black. And I cannot imagine my kid going through what I see and what I see on the TV,” Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said.
During the bubble, the Bucks led the way for pro sports organizations to strike in protest, after the murder of Blake. The Bucks decided to not play their playoff game against the Magic. Following that protest decision, the entire NBA delayed playoff games, deciding to not serve as a distraction during important times.
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- While the Bucks are leading the way with social justice issues, they are also climbing up the Eastern Conference. They’ve won three consecutive games, and have looked much more comfortable offensively. Perhaps a two-game stretch against the short-handed Pistons is exactly what this team needed. The Bucks are currently the No. 6 seed.
- On the Jrue Holiday front, things are progressing well for the Bucks. Just eight games into the season, Holiday seems to have found his footing offensively. This season, he is still 50 percent shooting from the field and an impressive 39.5 percent from 3-point distance. This spark is exactly what the Bucks were missing last season, especially from deep. If Holiday’s play improves, and all signs indicate that it will, the Bucks will have won that trade easily.
- Speaking of three-point shooting, rookie Jordan Nwora was 3-for-3 from deep in their last win over Detroit. Off the bench, the rookie has been a promising role player, especially as a shooter. He’s shooting 53.8 percent from deep in his first six games as a Buck.
- Torrey Craig‘s surgery on his nose was a success, and he will be eligible to return to practice in the coming weeks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. He only appeared in two games this season for the Bucks but could provide depth off the bench when he is cleared to return.
