The Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets kicked off day five of NBA 2K24 Summer League with an entertaining first half. Both squads netted 22 points in the first quarter and 18 points in the second, with no indication that things would drastically change in the final 20 minutes.
Unfortunately for the Bucks, the third quarter was a completely different story. They struggled in just about every possible aspect of the game, giving up 35 points while only putting up nine themselves. Milwaukee had already used 14 different players to that point, but entering the fourth quarter it was clear even more of the bench would be emptied to finish the blowout.
Trailing by 26 points opened up the opportunity for former Illini Alan Griffin to make his Summer League debut.
Griffin spent two years with Illinois men’s basketball from 2017-19 and had not seen the floor in either of Milwaukee’s first two games, despite his father Adrian being the head coach.
A five-man substitution with 5:57 remaining in the game was Griffin’s method of entry and it did not take long for him to get started. Inbounding and taking the ball down the court after a Brooklyn free throw, Griffin was forced to pass after picking up his dribble. When his teammate was stood up at the right elbow, Griffin found the ball back in his hands and took advantage from 30 feet out.
Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!
A couple of possessions later, Griffin looked for his shot once again and demanded the inbounds pass following a Nets layup. He traveled the length of the court in just seconds, but was collapsed on by several Nets defenders and blocked at the basket.
The Nets got out in transition and threw down an alley-oop, but the antics from Brooklyn’s Dennis Duke Jr. following the basket earned them a technical foul. Griffin took and made this shot, for his fourth and final points of the night. On the subsequent Milwaukee possession, Griffin tried one more time from deep but did not connect.
Milwaukee moved to 2-1 overall following the 92-71 loss, and will play next on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. CT against the Miami Heat.
@blountco21
