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Damian Lillard, Bobby Portis power Bucks past Clippers in fourth quarter

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Eric Nehm: FINAL: Bucks 113, Clippers 106 – Lillard 41pts/4reb/4ast – Portis 28pts/16reb/2ast/ – Beverley 12pts/9reb/2ast/4stl The Bucks are now 41-21 on the season. They have won all six of their games out of the All-Star Break.
Source: Twitter @eric_nehm

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
The Clippers were outscored by 13 points after going small with 8:02 left to play
Bobby Portis scored 11 of his 14 fourth quarter points against Harden/Powell/George/Leonard/Coffey lineup – 10:39 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Bucks outscored Clippers 54-32 last 17:59 of tonight’s game in Milwaukee
Damian Lillard and Bobby Portis outscored Clippers 24-19 in fourth quarter before Paul George’s meaningless pair of 3s in final minute of play – 10:36 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Bobby Portis has 10 double-doubles off the bench this season.
Nobody else has more than 6. statmuse.com/nba/player/bob… – 10:35 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Milwaukee overcomes 15-point 2nd half deficit, beat Clippers 113-106
Damian Lillard did to Clippers what LeBron James did last week: overcome recent struggles vs LAC with pullup 2-point shooting
Stay tuned for postgame pic.twitter.com/vPRlvp6VOV – 10:30 PM

Kane Pitman @KanePitman
Pat Bev and Bobby Portis are meant to be teammates. Elite crowd energisers. – 10:26 PM
Jamal Collier @JamalCollier
Despite missing Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks extend their winning streak to 6 games in a row, beating the Clippers 113-106
Damian Lillard scored 41 points on 12/22 shooting
Bobby Portis added 28 points and 16 rebounds off the bench – 10:26 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Bobby Portis tonight:
28 PTS (14 in the 4th)
16 REB
12-18 FG
The first player with a 25/15 game off the bench this season. statmuse.com/nba/player/bob… – 10:26 PM
Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
28 and 16 for Bobby Portis tonight in the Bucks’ 113-106 win over the Clippers. Legendary. – 10:26 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Dame without Giannis:
41 PTS
4 3P
Bucks are undefeated when Dame has a 40-point game. statmuse.com/nba/player/dam… – 10:25 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
FINAL: Bucks 113, Clippers 106
– Lillard 41pts/4reb/4ast
– Portis 28pts/16reb/2ast/
– Beverley 12pts/9reb/2ast/4stl
The Bucks are now 41-21 on the season. They have won all six of their games out of the All-Star Break. – 10:25 PM
Howard Chen @TheHoChen
Bobby Portis is 🔥🔥right now – 10:24 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Man, Bobby Portis right through Kawhi Leonard on that post-up.
And he follows it up with a 3. Bucks up by 10. – 10:23 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
The Clippers have decided to trap the ball out of Damian Lillard’s hands and he just keeps stretching the play out to halfcourt and opening up all the space for his teammates.
Really heady stuff. – 10:20 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
And now a seven-point lead on a Bobby Portis jumper.
Bucks up, 103-96, with 3:02 left.
They’re outscoring the Clippers, 30-15, in the fourth quarter. – 10:18 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
And the Bucks have a 98-96 lead after that finish through contact by Damian Lillard. – 10:16 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Lopez AND Portis on the floor.
Lillard, Beverley and Green are the other three for the Bucks out of the timeout. – 10:15 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
After that stepback triple by Damian Lillard, the Clippers’ lead is down to three, 96-93, with 5:02 left.
Bobby Portis just got caught on a defensive 3-second call in the zone. Looks like Doc Rivers is going back to Brook Lopez after this timeout from the Clippers. – 10:12 PM
Vincent Goodwill @VinceGoodwill
Harden and Dame cooking. Some good stuff right now – 10:03 PM
Josh Martin @Bulls_Wire
Bobby Portis continues to annoy Bulls in blowout loss to Bucks bullswire.usatoday.com/2024/03/03/chi… pic.twitter.com/OJTANHT4Ws – 10:00 PM

Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
The Bucks have successfully junked this thing up with some zone and now the Bucks are in it.
After a putback dunk from Gallinari and a 3 from Portis, it’s a three-point game. – 10:00 PM
Frank Madden @fmaddenNBA
Beas following up his heater in Charlotte with a combined 1/15 the last two games. Rough timing on a night when Dame is your only real shot creator. – 9:49 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Back-to-back Lillard assists cut 15-point Clippers lead to 74-64 with 3:36 left in 3rd quarter
It really is a mental game at this point. Dame looks like the only player on either team with any juice on ball, though Clippers are playing in midst of Milwaukee zone as well. – 9:43 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
The Bucks aren’t going away quite yet.
Clippers up, 74-64, with 3:36 left in the third quarter, after that bucket from Bobby Portis on a baseline cut on that Damian Lillard drive. – 9:42 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Damian Lillard insisted that Doc Rivers should challenge that foul. Took a while, but Rivers eventually did it.
It’s a challenge of a three-shot foul with the Bucks down, 68-56, with 6:56 left in the third quarter. – 9:32 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Doc Rivers challenges Damian Lillard 3-shot foul drawn by Kawhi Leonard
We have seen this call overturned consistently. Looks like a high five contest. – 9:31 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
like clockwork
Dame got his tech at end of first half
Now every touch foul is being called
3 team fouls apiece and we haven’t played five minutes of this third quarter yet – 9:30 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
With 7:39 left in 3rd quarter
Dame/Portis are 14/23 FGs
Rest of Bucks are 6/24 FGs – 9:28 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Clippers are challenging Damian Lillard and-one through James Harden foul. – 9:20 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
And on one of his first drives of the second half, Damian Lillard finishes at the rim and draws a foul. Looks like Doc Rivers’ work at the start of halftime paid off.
But Ty Lue is challenging the call. – 9:20 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Half: Clippers 55, Bucks 48
– Lillard 19pts/2reb
– Portis 10pts/4reb
– Beverley 9pts/6reb/3stl – 9:03 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
With 19.2 seconds left in the first half, Damian Lillard has been whistled for a technical foul.
Lillard thought he was fouled on multiple drives in the first half, including that last one where he appeared to get hit in the head by Ivica Zubac. – 9:01 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Technical foul on Damian Lillard
Bucks student section has been chanting “call it both ways” so they officially on the refs now – 9:01 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
The Bucks are sticking around in this game with their defense.
Stops are allowing Damian Lillard to get out on the run here in the second quarter. He’s up to 19 points on the night. – 8:58 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
The Clippers just allowed their first fast break points since Friday night — Dame five seconds after a Harden live ball turnover – 8:57 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Doc Rivers calls timeout with 6:19 left in 1st half to get Dame back in the game
45-38 lead for Clippers, as they got Harden back in during previous timeout.
side note: every time I’m at Fiserv Forum, it sounds like a Clippers game, a Jazz game, and a Nuggets game all in one… – 8:50 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Mason Plumlee just tried to pull the chair on Bobby Portis and it resulted in Portis backpedaling in the smallest steps ever seen before getting a bucket. – 8:48 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Milwaukee is on a 6-0 run, forcing a Clippers timeout with 7:44 left in 1st half
Clippers 11-point lead down to 41-36. Bobby Portis carrying Milwaukee offense off the bench while Pat Bev is making Paul George work for everything. – 8:46 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
The Clippers took a 41-30 lead, but the Bucks just rattled off six straight points and now Ty Lue wants a timeout.
Clippers up, 41-36, with 7:44 left. Bucks surviving in the non-Lillard minutes for the moment. – 8:45 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
After one quarter, the Clippers lead, 35-25.
Damian Lillard has 15 of the Bucks’ 25 points thus far. Bucks are going to need some more offense (or better defense) to pull this one out.
Both teams shooting well. Clippers are 6-of-8 from 3. The Bucks are 5-of-10. – 8:37 PM
Ball Don’t Lie @Balldontlie
Dame is FEELING IT early 🔥
He has 13 points in the 1st.
(via @Bucks)
pic.twitter.com/KqK4HmrmbC – 8:34 PM

Ball Don’t Lie @Balldontlie
Dame is FEELING IT early 🔥
(via @NBATV)
pic.twitter.com/XWYWZPoHM5 – 8:33 PM

Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
James Harden has the last nine points for the Clippers as they take a 27-21 lead in Milwaukee with 2:08 left in 1st quarter
Bucks second unit with Lillard: AJ Green, Planet Pat, Gallo, Bobby Portis – 8:31 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
First four off the bench tonight, all in the first quarter, for the Bucks:
Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton, AJ Green, Danilo Gallinari – 8:28 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Damian Lillard is cooking, man.
He’s scored 13 of the Bucks’ first 19 points tonight. – 8:26 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Dame is cooking the Clippers to start this game – 8:26 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Patrick Beverley just drew an offensive foul on Paul George. And then tried to slap the ball out of George’s hands. George did not appreciated that, but no technicals or anything else.
Bucks up, 13-11, with 6:59 left in the first quarter. Damian Lillard already has 7 points. – 8:21 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Milwaukee leads Clippers 13-11 through first 5 minutes
Terance Mann gets the Damian Lillard assignment. Already has one foul that has led to Dame free throws. That’s going to be the toughest part of the night for Clippers
5 of first Milwaukee attempts have been 3s. – 8:21 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Swing-swing off of a Damian Lillard drive-and-kick and the Bucks have their first points of the night on a Brook Lopez 3.
The Clippers are going to be showing a TON of help on Lillard tonight. – 8:14 PM
Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
STARTERS 3/4
LAC
Paul George
Kawhi Leonard
Ivica Zubac
Terance Mann
James Harden
MIL
Jae Crowder
Pat Connaughton
Brook Lopez
Malik Beasley
Damian Lillard – 7:37 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Clippers will start Harden, Mann, George, Leonard, Zubac
Milwaukee will start Lillard, Beasley, Connaughton, Crowder, Lopez – 7:33 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
T Lue on Giannis out: “We lock onto Dame. Something we have done in the Western Conference for a long time.”
Damian Lillard’s team has lost nine straight games against the Clippers. – 6:42 PM
Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
On Friday against the Bulls, the Bucks ran an interesting set.
Looked like it was going to be Spain action – Beasley screening for Antetokounmpo rolling to the hoop – and then the Bulls trapped Lillard.
Here’s the clip with @mbeasy5 describing his mindset screening for Giannis: pic.twitter.com/CPGiathpet – 2:24 PM

More on this storyline

NBA Central: “I play defense when I have to, but I’ve been in situations where I haven’t had to.” -Damian Lillard’s message to Pat Bev after showing improvement on defense (Via @PatBevPod ) pic.twitter.com/M6xEbQZtto -via Twitter @TheNBACentral / March 4, 2024
Eric Nehm: Final: Bucks 111, Hornets 99 – Antetokounmpo 24pts/10reb/5ast – Beasley 19pts/2reb – Lillard 17pts/6reb/2ast – Portis 14pts/10reb/4ast – Lopez 11pts/3reb/4ast/3blk – Connaughton 11pts The Bucks have won all four of their games out of the All-Star Break. They are now 39-21. -via Twitter @eric_nehm / February 29, 2024
“Being a together team and also knowing how to find a way to win games and work through to get where we want to get to, to me that’s encouraging ‘cause of the experience that I’ve had,” he continued. “So I’m happy with that. We win a lot, man. It could be worse. We could be losing and things could be just a lot worse than it is. I’m happy with it. “As I’ve said many times, the hardest part with me as a dad is just being away from my kids. That’s the part that’s draining and that can weigh on you when you are somebody that’s in your kid’s life.” -via Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel / February 28, 2024