Trail Blazers Fall Flat in Third Quarter vs. Bucks: Post-Game Roundup

The Portland Trail Blazers fell to the Milwaukee Bucks Wednesday night, 115-107. Damian Lillard led the Trail Blazers with 30 points, followed again by CJ McCollum with 23. Lillard had 22 of his points in the first half, leading the Trail Blazers to a 58-51 lead at the intermission. A bad third quarter that saw the Blazers outscored 34-18 was, however, too much to overcome.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had a triple double for the Bucks with 15 points, 11 assists, and 12 rebounds; the seventh of his career. He also had a 10 second free-throw violation, which is an extreme rarity.

After the game, head coach Terry Stotts said the third quarter was the difference.

— video via CSN NW

Trail Blazers digital reporter Casey Holdahl also weighed in on the third quarter.

Portland looked as though they might get their second-consecutive road victory after taking a 58-51 lead into the halftime intermission of Wednesday night's contest. But the Bucks would shoot 61 percent from the field and 66 percent from three in the third, with Jabari Parker leading the way with 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting.

"We knew they would make a run," said Damian Lillard. "We allowed them to play to their strengths, I think, more so in that (third) quarter than in the beginning of the game. They got out in transition, then they started hitting threes and guys got comfortable. We turned the ball over and that made it easier... When we turn the ball over they get going and they get numbers and they're drawing fouls, getting to the line, guys getting to the corner hitting three-pointers."

Jason Quick of CSN NW wrote about how the Blazers followed up the 3rd quarter with an array of turnovers in the fourth...

The Trail Blazers literally threw away a chance to win their fourth straight on Wednesday, as a turnover-filled fourth quarter doomed Portland to a 115-107 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Portland (12-11) committed nine of their 16 turnovers in the fourth quarter, including miscues on their first three possessions of the final quarter, when they entered facing an 85-76 deficit. The Blazers had a nine point lead in the first quarter and a seven point halftime advantage, but fell apart in the third, when Milwaukee outscored them 34-18.

The Trail Blazers play the second of a back-to-back and game three of their five-game road trip tonight in Memphis. The Grizzlies are a team that the Trail Blazers have struggled against in recent years. They did win in Memphis back on November 6, though, and hope to go 2-0 in Memphis this season.

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