It’s never easy to play on the second night of a back to back, traveling from one city to another. It’s never easy facing an opponent without four rotation players, including three starters. It’s never easy playing the Milwaukee Bucks.
Will Barton and the Denver Nuggets did all of those things on Friday night, and somehow, they ended up with a huge victory over Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and a stacked Bucks roster. Barton was at the center of things for Denver, scoring 28 points, dishing out 8 assists, and playing with a presence of calm that helped the Nuggets regain and keep a lead against the best team in basketball.
Barton hit six threes, most of which came off the dribble, and every single one was massively important. The Bucks play a very specific scheme that forces ball handlers to hit jumpers off the dribble consistently. Well, Barton brought his A-game there, going 9-of-16 from the field and 6-of-9 from beyond the three point line. His ability to move the ball while limiting Khris Middleton’s total shot attempts was very impressive. It wasn’t pretty the entire time, but the Nuggets lose this game by a ton if Barton isn’t out there serving as a creator and scorer all night.
Check out Barton’s performance below!
