In their first game of summer league, the Bucks were able to knock off the Los Angeles Clippers 81-78, thanks in large part to a 30-point performance from Jordan Nwora.
Both teams would be pretty even throughout the opening 12 minutes. Mamadi Diakite was the leading scorer for the Bucks in the first quarter, flashing seven points. Sandro Mamukelashvili flashed three points in his opening stint of minutes. The Bucks would cling to a 19-17 lead after one.
An 11-4 run by Milwaukee in the second quarter would open things up. Jordan Nwora would start to go on a tear himself in the period, going 6-of-8 from the floor in the frame. It’d help cap off a strong first half for the Bucks, as they’d carry a 46-30 advantage into the locker room.
Milwaukee would continue to hold onto the lead in the third quarter. However, the Clippers were able to chip away and make things a single-digit ball game once again. Going into the final period of regulation, the Bucks still hung to a 62-53 lead.
Los Angeles’ run would continue into the fourth quarter, as they eventually overtook Milwaukee early on in the period. They’d hold the lead the majority of the quarter, but strong defense by the Bucks in the closing minutes helped them pull out the victory, 81-78.
Players That Stood Out
Jordan Nwora: The scoring talents of Jordan Nwora is starting to shine more and more. When he started games last year for the Bucks, he wouldn’t waste any time shooting. We saw that level of production from him in the Olympics when he was representing Nigeria as well. Tonight was no different, as he rattled off 30 points on a whopping 28 shot attempts. He is definitely not afraid to shoot the basketball, and it’ll be intriguing to watch him the remainder of this preseason.
Mamadi Diakite: Mamadi showed off the talent that helped him garner excitement among Bucks fans in the G league last season. In the first quarter, he had a series of plays that were quite efficient. He had a drive to the hoop, then a jab-step jumper, and then a three at the top of the key. A well-rounded night for the Virginia man.
Sandro Mamukelashvili: Selected in the second round with pick 54 by Milwaukee, this was the first time we saw Mamu in action. One of his attributes coming out of Seton Hall was his ability to pass the basketball, and that was on display tonight — two plays came to mind. On one possession, he dealt a wraparound pass to Mamadi Diakite. Then, later in the game, he rifled a pass to Jordan Nwora who sank a 3-pointer in the quarter. Mamu will definitely be fun to watch during the remainder of the Summer League.
