NBA: Bucks stay dominant at home with easy win over Bulls

Jrue Holiday finished with a game-high 27 points as the Milwaukee Bucks earned a 126-98 win over the visiting Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night to record their fifth consecutive home win.

Holiday added seven assists and cashed in on 12 of his 17 field goal attempts to lead the Bucks over their division rival for the third time this season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo supplied 25 points and 17 rebounds to notch his third straight double-double, and reserve Pat Connaughton chipped in 14 points while all five starters scored in double figures.

Milwaukee was extremely efficient all night, finishing with its second-highest field goal percentage (61 percent) this season.

Nikola Vucevic finished with a team-high 22 points and seven rebounds on 9-of-15 shooting for Chicago. DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine each added 21 points, and Ayo Dosunmu tallied seven off the bench.

The Bucks made 55 percent of their field goals (22 of 40) in the first half to go into the break with a commanding 16-point lead. Milwaukee had led by as much as 26, but the Bulls closed the second quarter on a 10-0 run to trim the deficit.

Antetokounmpo had a double-double in the first half alone, pacing the Bucks with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Brook Lopez added 10 points, and Connaughton scored nine. Milwaukee also dominated on the glass, hauling in 28 rebounds compared to Chicago's 16.

Vucevic led all scorers with 15 points, and LaVine added 12. Chicago got just four points from its bench, while the Bucks got 18.

The Bulls brought things within 10 in the third quarter, but Milwaukee answered and extended its lead to 22 by the fourth. Despite his team's struggles, DeRozan caught fire, scoring 12 points.

Antetokounmpo got off to a fast start, collecting 10 points and five rebounds in the first quarter. Eight of those points came during a 13-0 run over the final 3:17 of the frame which allowed the Bucks to jump out to an early 33-20 lead.

-reuters-

NBA: Bucks dominate early in comfortable win vs. Pistons

Jrue Holiday slammed home a Giannis Antetokounmpo assist 16 seconds into the game to ignite a 14-0 flurry by the host Milwaukee Bucks, who never looked back in a 114-93 wire-to-wire victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.

Antetokounmpo finished with a game-high 33 points, Bobby Portis recorded a 28-point, 10-rebound double-double and Holiday pitched in with 22 points for the Bucks, who completed a 5-0 homestand with their 12th consecutive win over the Pistons.

Trey Lyles had a team-high 19 points off the bench for Detroit, which was playing on the second night of a back-to-back and suffered its fourth straight defeat.

Antetokounmpo had a dunk, another interior hoop and three free throws, while Portis added a dunk and a 3-pointer in the game-opening run, which extended into the fourth minute of the game.

The Bucks went on to lead, 26-9, after a Holiday jumper at the 4:41 mark of the period, before the Pistons mounted a challenge.

Detroit rallied within six in the first quarter and got within three in the second, and was down just 71-65 after a Saddiq Bey 3-pointer near the midpoint of the third period before Milwaukee pulled away for good.

Holiday buried consecutive 3-pointers in a 10-2 burst that re-opened a double-digit advantage and led to a bench-heavy fourth quarter.

Antetokounmpo shot 12 for 17 while also finding time for seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks. Holiday led the Bucks with six assists.

Khris Middleton (11 points) and Pat Connaughton (11) also scored in double figures for the Bucks, who outshot the Pistons 48.3 percent to 35.8 percent overall and 41.7 percent to 24.4 percent on 3-pointers.

Jerami Grant and Bey backed Lyles with 13 points apiece and Saben Lee added 12 for Detroit, which was opening a five-game trip that also sends them to the West Coast.

Cade Cunningham had team highs in rebounds (eight) and assists (seven) to complement nine points for the Pistons.

-reuters-

NBA: Bucks hold off Nets to claw back in playoff series

The Milwaukee Bucks started strong and clung on late to beat the Brooklyn Nets, 86-83, on Thursday and claw their way back into their NBA Eastern Conference second-round playoff series.

Khris Middleton scored 35 points and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 as the Bucks -- routed in two games in Brooklyn -- trimmed the deficit in the best-of-seven series to 2-1.

Kevin Durant led the Nets with 30 points and 11 rebounds, but his three-point attempt to force overtime bounced off the rim and the Bucks avoided falling into an 0-3 hole.

"It looked good, but thank god it didn't go in," Antetokounmpo said of Durant's final attempt.

The Bucks were coming off a humiliating 39-point loss to the Nets in Game 2 in Brooklyn, and in the first game of the series in Milwaukee they came out playing as if their lives depended on the outcome.

Antetokounmpo and Middleton scored 15 points apiece in the first quarter as the Bucks seized a 30-11 lead.

The Nets turned the tables in the second period, opening the quarter on a 15-2 scoring run.

They out-scored the Bucks, 31-15, in the second -- but they didn't get their first lead of the game until the third quarter, when Bruce Brown's jump shot put them up 65-64 with just over a minute remaining in the period.

It was nip and tuck the rest of the way, the Bucks taking a two-point lead into a fourth quarter that saw four lead changes, with neither team leading by more than four points.

It was tied at 80-80 with 1:30 remaining. Durant drained a three-pointer to put the Nets up with 1:23 left.

Middleton drove for a layup to cut the deficit and Jrue Holiday spun in for a layup to put Milwaukee up by one with 11.4 seconds to play.

Middleton pushed the Bucks' lead to three with two free throws that capped the scoring.

"At the end of the day we kept our composure," Antetokounmpo said. "We stayed together ... we kept trusting our habits and we were able to stay in the game and get the win."

The Bucks will try to level the series when they host Game 4 on Sunday.

Kyrie Irving added 22 points for the Nets, who were again without the third piece of their star trio, James Harden, who is nursing a hamstring injury.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Williamson, Pelicans roll over Cavaliers

Rookie Zion Williamson scored 24 points for his 10th consecutive game with at least 20, as the host New Orleans Pelicans routed the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers 116-104 on Friday night.

Brandon Ingram scored 29, Jrue Holiday added 22 and E'Twaun Moore and Nicolo Melli had 10 each, as the Pelicans improved to 3-1 since the All-Star break. 

It was their first home game in 15 days and started a three-game home-stand over five days.

Derrick Favors had 15 rebounds, and Lonzo Ball had 12 assists for New Orleans, which has won six of eight games as it pursues Memphis for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. 

Pelicans guard JJ Redick left the game in the first quarter because of a left hamstring strain and did not return.

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.

Kevin Porter Jr. scored 16, Darius Garland had 15, Tristan Thompson had 13 and Kevin Love 10.

New Orleans, which beat the Cavaliers 125-111 on Jan. 28 in Cleveland, swept the season series by winning its ninth straight home game against the Cavs.

The Pelicans led by 15 at halftime, and Ingram scored 11 points as they increased the lead to 93-70 midway through the third quarter.

Sexton made three 3-pointers during a 13-2 run that pulled Cleveland within 95-83 at the end of the third quarter.

But Moore made a 3-pointer, and Williamson followed with a basket to start the fourth-quarter scoring, as the Pelicans regained command with a 17-point lead. The Cavs didn't get closer than 15 until the final two minutes.

The Pelicans set a franchise record for assists in a quarter with 15 in the first. They made 18 of 24 field-goal attempts and scored a season-high in first-quarter points by taking a 43-25 lead.

Sexton scored nine of his 19 first-half points as the Cavaliers outscored New Orleans in the second quarter, but the Pelicans still held a 70-55 halftime edge.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Davis scores 48 as Pelicans nip Mavs, end 5-game skid

Anthony Davis scored a season-high 48 points and grabbed 17 rebounds as the host New Orleans Pelicans ended a five-game losing streak by beating the Dallas Mavericks 114-112 on Friday night.

Julius Randle added 22 points and 12 rebounds, and Jrue Holiday scored 18 for the Pelicans, who won for just the second time in their last nine games decided by five or fewer points.

Rookie Luka Doncic scored 34 points, Harrison Barnes added 21, Dennis Smith Jr. had 14, Dirk Nowitzki 11 and Dwight Powell 10 for the Mavericks, who ended a six-game losing streak by beating the Pelicans 122-119 on Wednesday in Dallas.

It was Smith's first game back after missing six because of a sprained right wrist.

The Mavericks took an 11-point halftime lead after they made 10 of 19 3-pointers in the first half while the Pelicans made 1 of 13.

Doncic made a 3-pointer to help Dallas extend the lead to 13 early in the third quarter before the Pelicans made a push.

Randle made four baskets as New Orleans climbed within three points.

After Barnes made a 3-pointer and Smith converted a three-point play, the Pelicans made another run.

Ian Clark made a 3-pointer and Davis and Solomon Hill each made a free throw as the Mavericks' lead shrunk to 88-86 after three quarters.

New Orleans finally caught up early in the fourth quarter and the score was tied at 94, 96, 99 and 101 before Randle's layup gave the Pelicans a 103-102 lead.

The score was tied three more times before Davis' jumper gave New Orleans a 111-109 lead with 2:12 left.

Doncic's 3-pointer gave Dallas a one-point lead, but Davis answered with a three-point play that gave the Pelicans a 114-112 lead with 43 seconds left.

Smith missed a jumper and Davis rebounded for New Orleans, which called a timeout.

Davis missed a step-back 3-pointer and the Mavericks rebounded with four seconds left.

After a time out, the Mavericks cleared out for Smith, who dribbled across the key and drove toward the rim but didn't get a shot off before time expired.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Holiday, Pelicans shoot past Wizards

Jrue Holiday had 29 points to lead six New Orleans scorers in double figures as the host Pelicans ended a four-game losing streak by beating the Washington Wizards 125-104 on Wednesday night.

Anthony Davis added 28 points and 15 rebounds, and point guard Tim Frazier, whose insertion into the starting lineup allowed Holiday to return to his natural shooting guard position, also had a double-double, finishing with 12 points and 12 assists.

Holiday had struggled while playing point guard in the absence of starting point guard Elfrid Payton, who is sidelined due to finger surgery that is expected to keep him out for another month.

Julius Randle came off the New Orleans bench to add 23 points and 12 rebounds, Nikola Mirotic had 15 points and nine boards, and E'Twaun Moore added 10 points.

Kelly Oubre Jr. and Markieff Morris scored 22 each, and John Wall added 17 for Washington, which had won three of its previous four games. Bradley Beal contributed 16 points and 11 assists, and Jeff Green came off the bench to score 10.

The Pelicans led by 22 early in the third quarter, but Wall made back-to-back baskets to complete an 11-0 run that cut the lead in half.

Davis scored 11 points as New Orleans rebuilt the lead to 19 before Washington made another run.

Oubre, Beal and Morris each made a 3-pointer as the Wizards got within 11 again, but Mirotic beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer that gave the Pelicans a 98-81 lead after three quarters.

The closest the Wizards could get in the fourth quarter was 13 points as New Orleans rebounded from a 124-114 loss at Washington four days earlier.

Holiday made 6 of 8 first-quarter field-goal attempts, including two 3-pointers, to score 14 points as the Pelicans led by as many as 14 before settling for a 31-24 lead.

The Wizards got within five points four times in the second quarter before New Orleans went on a surge.

The Pelicans finished on a 24-9 run, and Randle scored the last five points as New Orleans took a 67-47 lead into halftime.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Holiday, Moore push Pelicans past Raptors

Jrue Holiday had 29 points and 14 assists, E'Twaun Moore scored 30 points and the visiting New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Toronto Raptors 126-110 Monday night.

Anthony Davis added 25 points and 20 rebounds for the Pelicans, who won their third game in a row by giving the Raptors their first home loss in eight games this season. Toronto is 12-2 overall.

Julius Randle chipped in with 17 points and 12 rebounds for New Orleans.

Pascal Siakam scored 22 points for the Raptors. Kawhi Leonard added 20 points, Serge Ibaka had 19 points and 14 rebounds, OG Anunoby 17 points and Fred VanVleet and Delon Wright 10 points each.

The Pelicans took an 11-point lead into the fourth quarter, but it was down to six after one minute when the Raptors had a 7-2 surge.

The Pelicans regained the 11-point advantage on a 3-pointer by Darius Miller. When Moore scored on a layup with 8:39 to play, the lead was increased to 14.

The Raptors trimmed the deficit to nine before Davis made consecutive layups. Holiday hit a 3-pointer and assisted on a Moore basket to increase the lead to 17 with 4:24 to play.

Cheick Diallo's layup with 22 seconds left closed the first-quarter scoring and gave the Pelicans a 31-29 lead.

Randle made two free throws to put the Pelicans ahead by seven points with 6:23 to play in the second quarter.

Leonard's 3-pointer tied the game at 50 with 4:08 left in the half. The Pelicans nudged away again and led by six on Randle's layup with 59 seconds left.

The Pelicans led 66-61 at halftime, with Moore scoring 17 points and Randle adding 12.

Ibaka led Toronto with 17 first-half points and nine rebounds. Leonard added 15 points, and Siakam had 10.

Siakam's 3-pointer tied the score at 70 early in the third quarter. The Pelicans followed that with a 9-0 run on a 3-pointer by Davis, two consecutive layups by Randle and one by Holiday.

Davis made two free throws with 3:58 to play in the third to bump the Pelicans' lead to 11, and Diallo's cutting layup had the lead at 13.

The Pelicans led 94-83 after three quarters.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Davis, Holiday combine for 88 points, lead sweep of Blazers

Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday each achieved career playoff scoring highs as the New Orleans Pelicans held off the Portland Trail Blazers 131-123 Saturday at Smoothie King Center.

Davis scored 47 points and Holiday 41 as the Pelicans clinched the best-of-seven playoff series with a four-game sweep. Rajon Rondo dished out 16 assists to go with seven points and seven rebounds for New Orleans.

CJ McCollum had 38 points, Al-Farouq Aminu scored 27 points, Damian Lillard added 19 and Jusuf Nurkic contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Trail Blazers.

Portland lost despite shooting 52.6 percent from the field and turning the ball over just six times. But the Blazers could not stop New Orleans, which shot 57 percent and assisted on 28 of their 45 baskets.


Davis and Holiday each scored 14 points and E'Twaun Moore added 12 as New Orleans took a 58-56 lead into intermission. McCollum and Aminu each had 15 points and Evan Turner 12 for the Blazers before the break.

The Pelicans scored 42 points in breaking things open in the third quarter. They hiked their advantage to 87-72 late in the quarter. The difference was 100-87 heading into the fourth quarter.

Portland scored the first five points of the final period to draw within 100-92.

Nurkic and Holiday traded baskets, and Davis' dunk gave New Orleans a 110-104 edge with seven minutes to go. Aminu hit a 3-point shot to cut it to 110-107, but Holiday scored on a drive to make it 112-107 with 6:33 to play. McCollum made a short jumper, and Aminu scored off a fast break to get Portland to within 112-111. But Davis converted a three-point play to give New Orleans a 115-111 lead with 4:56 remaining.

Nurkic made a reverse layup, but Davis drilled a 3 to make it 118-113. Lillard's jumper got the Blazers to within 118-115 with 4:07 left. Nikola Mirotic split a pair at the line to make it 119-115 with 3:51 to go. McCollum scored on a drive to cut it to 119-117, but Davis dunked a rebound for a 121-117 lead with 3:24 to play.

Turner hit a pair at the line to make it 121-119 with 3:06 left, but Holiday's 3-point shot pushed the Pelicans' lead to 124-119 with 2:44 to go. Davis made two free throws for a 126-119 edge with 2:29 remaining.

Aminu's driving layup drew Portland to within 126-121 with 1:47 remaining. Holiday made one of two foul shots to make it 127-121 with 1:09 left. McCollum's driving layup cut it to 127-123 with one minute to go, but Holiday's jumper pulled the Pelicans ahead 129-123 with 40.4 seconds left.

When Davis sank a pair at the line with 20.9 ticks on the clock, the issue was decided.

Portland jumped to a 9-3 lead. New Orleans took a 26-25 advantage into the second quarter.

The Pelicans extended the margin to 35-29, but the Blazers came back to tie it at 35-35. New Orleans carried a two-point edge into halftime.

source: news.abs-cbn.com