Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 32 points to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 133-86 home blowout of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night.
It was the Bucks’ third win of 40 or more points, tying the NBA record for most such games in a season. The margin narrowly missed being the largest in the NBA this season. The Los Angeles Clippers beat Atlanta by 49 earlier this season.
The Bucks, who won their fifth straight game coming out of the All-Star break, hit 21 3-pointers, their most of the season. Both Wesley Matthews and Pat Connaughton hit four from behind the arc. They each finished with 14 points, as did Bucks teammate George Hill.
Oklahoma City was without second-leading scorer Danilo Gallinari, who hasn’t played in the second night of a back-to-back since November. Chris Paul scored 18 points, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 11 for the Thunder, who had a five-game winning streak snapped.
Los Angeles Clippers 132 – Denver Nuggets 103
Paul George scored a game-high 24 points, and Los Angeles hammered visiting Denver.
George, who struggled offensively in the previous two games with 11 and seven points, connected on 6 of 8 3-pointers and 9 of 15 overall from the floor, as the Clippers won their third straight game.
Kawhi Leonard contributed 19 points, Montrezl Harrell had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Lou Williams finished with 17 points for Los Angeles, which had seven players score in double figures. Williams hit 5 of 7 shots from behind the arc.
New Orleans Pelicans 116 – Cleveland Cavaliers 104
Rookie Zion Williamson scored 24 points for his 10th consecutive game with at least 20, and host New Orleans routed Cleveland for its third win in four games since the All-Star break.
Brandon Ingram scored 29, Jrue Holiday added 22 and E’Twaun Moore and Nicolo Melli had 10 each for the Pelicans, who were playing their first home game in 15 days and started a three-game homestand over five days.
Collin Sexton tied his career-high with 31 points to lead the Cavaliers, who are just 17-42 but entered the game with a 3-1 record under coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who took over when John Beilein resigned during the All-Star break.
Miami Heat 126 – Dallas Mavericks 118
Jimmy Butler scored 26 points, and Duncan Robinson added 24 to lead host Miami past Dallas and run its home record to 24-4.
Dallas guard Seth Curry had a career-high 37 points. The younger brother of Warriors star Stephen Curry, he made 13 of 15 attempts from the floor, including 8 of 9 on 3-pointers, with the eight makes marking a career high.
Miami got 16 points each from Goran Dragic and Kendrick Nunn, and Heat center Bam Adebayo had 14 points and 11 rebounds for his 35th double-double of the season. Kristaps Porzingis had 24 points and 13 rebounds for Dallas.
Orlando Magic 136 – Minnesota Timberwolves 125
Terrence Ross scored 19 of his season-high 33 points in the fourth quarter as host Orlando handed Minnesota its 19th loss in 21 games.
Ross made seven 3-pointers and Nikola Vucevic recorded his team-best 31st double-double (27 points, 10 assists) this season for the Magic, who have won five of six after losing eight of their previous nine. Aaron Gordon added his first career triple-double with 17 points, a career-high 12 assists and 11 rebounds.
D’Angelo Russell scored 12 of his team-high 28 points in the first quarter, and Juan Hernangomez added 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Timberwolves.
Sacramento Kings 104 – Memphis Grizzlies 101
De’Aaron Fox returned from a one-game absence to score a team-high 25 points, and Sacramento survived a frantic finish to record a win over host Memphis.
Playing the second night of a back-to-back, the Kings rallied from an early 12-point deficit to dominate a majority of the final three quarters to earn a second win in three tries against Memphis this season, clinching the season series.
Despite getting a season-high 32 points from Dillon Brooks and a career-high 25 rebounds from Jonas Valanciunas, the injury-riddled Grizzlies lost their fifth straight.
Utah Jazz 129 – Washington Wizards 119
Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, and host Utah held off Bradley Beal and Washington to end a four-game losing streak.
Beal led all scorers with 42 points on 17-of-33 shooting and added 10 assists for Washington, which has lost four of five since the All-Star break. He notched his 10th 40-point game of the season and his 17th consecutive game with 25 of more points, tying the franchise record set by Walt Bellamy in 1961-62.
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 21 points for Utah, and Jordan Clarkson added 20.
Atlanta Hawks 141 – Brooklyn Nets 118
John Collins totaled 33 points and 13 rebounds, and host Atlanta pushed Brooklyn into eighth place in the Eastern Conference with a victory.
Collins recorded his ninth game with at least 30 points this season, and his game-high rebound total helped the Hawks to a commanding 52-38 edge on the boards. Rookie Cam Reddish scored 17 of his career-high 26 points in the third quarter. Trae Young collected 22 points and 14 assists for his 25th double.
Spencer Dinwiddie collected 24 points and 13 assists but shot 6 of 16 from the floor as the Nets lost for the fourth time in five games since the All-Star break. Caris LeVert and Joe Harris added 18 points apiece for the Nets, who shot 45.7 percent and hit 18 3-pointers.
Charlotte Hornets 99 – Toronto Raptors 96
Terry Rozier made one free throw to break a tie with 2.1 seconds to play as Charlotte defeated host Toronto.
Rozier finished with 18 points. Devonte’ Graham also scored 18 points for the Hornets, who have won two in a row. Miles Bridges had 17 points, P.J. Washington 15 and Bismack Biyombo 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Pascal Siakam had 24 points — 14 in the third quarter — and nine rebounds for the Raptors, who have lost two in a row. Norman Powell, who had missed the previous nine games with a broken finger, scored 22. Kyle Lowry had 21 points and OG Anunoby had 16 points and nine rebounds.
Pistons 113, Suns 111
Derrick Rose poured in 31 points as visiting Detroit snapped a seven-game losing streak by edging Phoenix.
The Pistons hadn’t won since Feb. 5, at home, also against Phoenix. Christian Wood supplied 19 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals, while Brandon Knight contributed 19 points off the bench. Svi Mykhailiuk tossed in 13 points and made four assists.
Devin Booker led the Suns with 26 points, six rebounds and six assists, while DeAndre Ayton had 20 points and 10 rebounds. Ricky Rubio contributed 16 points, 13 assists and six rebounds, and Mikal Bridges added 13 points and five assists.
–Field Level Media
Comments