The Milwaukee Bucks came out of the break firing on all cylinders, cruising past the New Orleans Pelicans with a commanding 139-118 victory. Ryan Rollins was the star of the night, lighting up the court with 27 points, including a career-high seven threes, along with six assists, four steals, and two blocks.
Kevin Porter Jr. and Cam Thomas also shone brightly, combining for an impressive 52 points. On the other side, Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 32 points on a highly efficient 13/17 shooting.
Game Recap
The Pelicans started strong, finding easy paths to the basket early on. But Ryan Rollins was ready to respond, sinking several contested long-range shots to keep the game tied at 10.
The Bucks then went on a 5-0 run, highlighted by Kyle Kuzma's back-to-back reverse dunks. Milwaukee extended their lead to 26-18, thanks to a Bobby Portis putback slam that seemed to electrify the team.
However, the Pelicans answered with a 7-0 run, capped by Milwaukee native Jordan Poole hitting a transition three. Zion Williamson flexed his scoring prowess to close the quarter, helping New Orleans take a 38-33 lead.
Cam Thomas, who was scoreless in the first quarter, sparked the Bucks in the second with a three-pointer and an and-one to reclaim the lead. Zion quickly countered for the Pelicans, already notching his eighth field goal early in the quarter.
But then, Thomas went on a tear, scoring 16 consecutive points for the Bucks in under six minutes. His explosive performance helped Milwaukee maintain their momentum, despite both teams struggling defensively and turning the ball over frequently.
The Bucks led 71-65 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Milwaukee continued to score efficiently, with KPJ, Rollins, and Portis making tough shots. The Pelicans matched their scoring pace, keeping the game within a 6-9 point margin.
New Orleans closed the gap to two points on several occasions, but the Bucks always found an answer, often through Rollins or Thomas. Rollins, in particular, was a defensive force, racking up four steals and two blocks by the end of the third, which ended with the Bucks leading 103-96.
Thomas kicked off the fourth quarter by adding to his tally, reaching 27 points. Pate Nance joined the fray with a corner three and a challenging layup, prompting a timeout from Pelicans coach James Borrego as the Bucks extended their lead to 113-104.
Milwaukee then went on a 7-2 run following the timeout, forcing another from the Pelicans and showcasing KPJ's scoring flair. When KPJ gets in the zone, he's nearly unstoppable, and he was certainly in that zone throughout the fourth quarter.
From there, the Bucks controlled the game, securing a decisive victory over their pick-swap rivals.