NBA: Haliburton hits winner as Pacers hold off Bucks in overtime, Mavs thump Clippers

LOS ANGELES -- Tyrese Haliburton drove for the game-winning basket as the Indiana Pacers held off a late Milwaukee charge to beat the Bucks 121-118 in overtime on Friday and take a 2-1 lead in their NBA Eastern Conference playoff series.

The Dallas Mavericks also won at home, cruising to a 101-90 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers for a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference set.

But a return to Phoenix provided no respite for Kevin Durant and the Suns, who were one defeat away from elimination after falling 126-109 to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In Indianapolis, Haliburton delivered a triple-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists to help the Pacers withstand a 42-point performance from Milwaukee forward Khris Middleton, who drilled a three-pointer to tie it with 2.3 seconds left in regulation and made another trey to knot it at 118-118 with eight seconds left in overtime.

With 1.6 seconds remaining in overtime, Haliburton took an inbound pass and split the Bucks' defense as he drove for a one-handed floater.

Fouled on the play, he made the free throw to cap the scoring. Middleton, playing through a sprained right ankle, was unable to work another three-point miracle as time expired.

"I just knew I was shooting it no matter what," Haliburton said.

"And I finally made a shot, added the Pacers star, who connected on just eight of his 22 attempts from the field. "I couldn't buy a bucket today, so I'm glad that one went in."

The Pacers escaped with the win in a game they led by 19 points in the first quarter and by 17 in the third.

With two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo still sidelined by a calf injury, the Bucks couldn't match Indiana's early pace.

An early injury scare saw Damian Lillard limp off with a sore knee briefly in the first quarter. He returned to score 19 of his 28 points in the second half before aggravating an Achilles tendon injury in late in regulation.

The Bucks took the lead for the first time on Lillard's three-pointer early in the fourth quarter, the lead changing hands six times in the fourth as they battled to overtime.

"Every possession is so valuable," Haliburton said. "You've got to dig in. The game's never over."

Myles Turner scored 29 points for the Pacers, who will try to stretch their lead when they host game four on Sunday.

In Phoenix, Anthony Edwards scored 36 points to lead a comprehensive Timberwolves team effort that included 19 points and 14 rebounds from Rudy Gobert and 18 points and 13 rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns.

Six players scored in double figures for the Timberwolves.

Bradley Beal led the Suns with 28 points. Durant scored 25 and Devin Booker added 23, but had no answer when the Timberwolves broke open a six-point game with a third-quarter scoring surge.

The Timberwolves have a 3-0 series lead for the first time in franchise history.

They'll try on Sunday to close out the Suns, and even though both teams are well aware that no NBA team has rallied from 0-3 down to win a series, Edwards said the Timberwolves would take nothing for granted.

"We can't look past the next game," he said.

- Dallas dominate -

In Dallas, NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic limped out early but returned to score 22 points with 10 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Mavericks in a testy clash with the Clippers.

Los Angeles' Russell Westbrook and P.J. Washington of Dallas were both ejected after a shoving match that started with Westbrook's hard foul on Doncic.

Westbrook received a double technical while Washington had a second tech to go with one he'd picked up after a verbal exchange with Terance Mann.

The Mavs were up by 16 points when the players were tossed midway through the fourth quarter.

The Clippers had sliced an 18-point deficit to six late in the third quarter, but Kyrie Irving, who had just two points until the final two minutes of the third period, scored 19 the rest of the way to help Dallas rebuild their lead.

"It's the will of the champion," Irving said of staying the course until his shots started falling. "Two points really doesn't matter -- all I care about is winning games."

James Harden and Norman Powell both scored 21 for the Clippers, but Harden had just seven points in the second half and the Mavs held Clippers star Paul George to seven points and Kawhi Leonard to nine.

In Friday's last game, Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns hosted the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Suns trying to avoid falling into an 0-3 hole after the Timberwolves won the first two games of their Western Conference series in Minneapolis.

No NBA team has rallied from an 0-3 deficit to win a playoff series.

Agence France-Presse

Bucks, Celtics, Knicks advance in NBA In-Season Tournament

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 points and Damian Lillard added 32 as the Milwaukee Bucks beat Miami, 131-124, on Tuesday to reach the knockout rounds of the NBA In-Season Tournament.

On the final night of group-stage play in the NBA's inaugural version of a World Cup, the Bucks won the East Group B crown at 4-0, taking the top Eastern Conference seed in the fight to reach next month's semi-finals in Las Vegas.

"We completed the task," Milwaukee's Khris Middleton said. "To get to Vegas now, we've got to do a little bit more.

"We want it. We're hungry for it. It's exciting times for us. We want to go to Vegas so we're happy."

The quarterfinals will find Boston at Indiana and New Orleans at Sacramento on Monday, with New York at Milwaukee and Phoenix at the Los Angeles Lakers next Tuesday.

Boston routed Chicago, 124-97, to win East Group C and advance, while New York, second behind Milwaukee in Group B, beat Charlotte, 115-91, and advanced as a wildcard based on superior point differential over Cleveland, 42-29.

Sacramento edged Golden State, 124-123, to win West Group C, rallying from 24 points down in the second quarter to advance.

The Warriors knew they had to win by 12 points to win the group on a point differential tiebreaker and took a 72-55 half-time lead before the Kings, led by 29 points from De'Aaron Fox, rallied late to trim the margin then swipe the triumph.

"We still wanted to win the game, it counts for the regular season, but we knew what the number was," Fox said.

Phoenix took a West wildcard spot when Minnesota beat Oklahoma City, 106-103, while New Orleans won West Group B when the Dallas Mavericks downed visiting Houston, 121-115.

At Miami, the Bucks opened a 15-2 lead, Miami answered with a 16-4 run, then Milwaukee closed the first quarter on a 12-4 spurt for a 31-22 lead.

"We started out great, but it's hard," Middleton said.

"You're just not going to knock a team down in the first five minutes. They did a great job coming back. We did a great job keeping our composure and finding a way to close this thing out."

Miami, lacking Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro due to ankle sprains, led 97-93 after three quarters.

Middleton, who had 17 points and eight rebounds, hit back-to-back jumpers for a four-point lead and dunks by Brook Lopez and Antetokounmpo settled matters.

"Thankfully I was able to hit a couple shots," Middleton said. "I'm just happy we won a tough game."

Antetokounmpo made 11-of-16 from the floor and 10-of-13 from the free-throw line and grabbed 10 rebounds with five assists, while Lillard, 9-of-18 from the floor and 10-of-10 from the line, added nine assists.

At New York, Julius Randle scored 25 points and grabbed 20 rebounds while Immanuel Quickley had 23 points off the bench to spark the Knicks.

Boston needed a lopsided win to advance and got it as Jaylen Brown scored 30 points, grabbed eight rebounds and passed off six assists to lead the hosts over Chicago.

Jayson Tatum added 21 points and Al Horford had 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Celtics.

Injuries hit Warriors 

Golden State's Chris Paul went out in the first quarter with lower left leg soreness and Gary Payton II went down with a right calf injury in the third quarter at Sacramento, which had lost two prior meetings with the Warriors this season.

Golden State's Draymond Green, back from a five-game ban for putting Minnesota's Rudy Gobert in a headlock, received a technical foul in the fourth quarter for arguing referee calls.

Dallas star Luka Doncic dominated Houston with 41 points, nine rebounds and nine assists while Kyrie Irving added 27 points for the Mavs, keeping the Rockets winless on the road this season.

Western Conference overall season leader Minnesota (13-4) hung on to top spot by edging visiting Oklahoma City (11-6).

Anthony Edwards, who left the game with a bruised right hip, led the Timberwolves with 21 points, while Gobert added 17 points and 16 rebounds.

But Phoenix took the West wildcard on point differential 34-0 over Minnesota.

Agence France-Presse

Damian Lillard is being traded from the Trail Blazers to the Bucks, AP source says, ending long saga

Damian Lillard is being traded by Portland to play alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee, a person with knowledge of the agreement said Wednesday, a deal that ends his 11-year run with the Trail Blazers and a three-month saga surrounding his wish to be moved elsewhere in hopes of winning an NBA title.

The seven-time All-Star — a player so elite that he was selected to the NBA’s 75th anniversary team — goes from the Trail Blazers to the Bucks in a three-team deal that sends Jrue Holiday from the Bucks to Portland, Deandre Ayton from Phoenix to Portland and Jusuf Nurkic from the Blazers to the Suns, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because none of the involved teams had announced the agreement.

As with all trades, it cannot be finalized until NBA attorneys review the terms and approve the deal.

It became known on July 1 that Lillard asked the Trail Blazers for a trade, which he was long speculated to be considering given his desire to play for a contender and Portland not seeming to have much of a chance with its current roster.

He wanted to go to Miami and made that clear. Portland decided not to accommodate that request, and instead, it’s the Bucks who now have an incredibly strong 1-2 punch of Lillard and Antetokounmpo heading into the new season.

The trade continues the Bucks’ dramatic offseason makeover in response to their surprising first-round playoff loss to Miami.

They followed up that playoff loss by firing coach Mike Budenholzer and replacing him with Adrian Griffin, who spent the last five seasons as a Toronto Raptors assistant. Now they trade away the two-time All-Star Holiday to acquire Lillard, a seven-time All-NBA selection.

The acquisition of Lillard comes after Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP, told The New York Times over the summer that he wanted to see how committed the Bucks are toward winning another championship before deciding whether to sign a long-term deal to stay in Milwaukee.

Antetokounmpo’s contract runs through the 2024-25 season, with a player option for 2025-26.

Bringing Lillard to Milwaukee certainly suggests the commitment is there. It also keeps the high-scoring guard away from Miami, one of the Bucks’ biggest Eastern Conference challengers.

When Lillard’s request was made public by the Blazers, general manager Joe Cronin said he would do “what’s best for the team” while grudgingly seeking to facilitate his wishes.

In the end, the deal with Bucks is what Cronin and the Blazers deemed best for all involved. It took a massive package to make the trade happen, especially because Lillard is owed a ransom over the next four years. He will make almost $46 million this coming season and could make as much as $216 million over the next four years if he exercises his option for the 2026-27 season.

It will be a large, and possibly very worthwhile, investment because acquiring Lillard figures to make the Bucks even more of a title contender. He averaged 32.2 points per game this past season, has averaged at least 24 points per game in each of the last eight seasons and has an offensive ignitability that few players in the NBA possess.

He became just the seventh player in NBA history to score more than 70 points in a game when he finished with 71 against the Houston Rockets on Feb. 26. The other names on that list are Wilt Chamberlain (who did it five times), Kobe Bryant, David Thompson, David Robinson, Elgin Baylor and Donovan Mitchell.

All six of the other players on that list were between 23 and 28 when they had their games of 71 points or more; Lillard was 32, a clear indicator that — even after 11 NBA seasons — he’s far from past his prime.

He has been great. The Blazers have not. And evidently, he didn’t see that changing anytime soon.

Lillard was beloved in Portland, but the speculation about his future with the team only intensified when the Blazers took point guard Scoot Henderson with the No. 3 overall pick in the June draft rather than package the pick for a proven commodity that could immediately help transform the team into a contender.

Portland won only four playoff series in Lillard’s 11 seasons, getting to the Western Conference Finals once. The team went 33-49 this past season, the second consecutive year of finishing well outside the playoff picture.

That’s not Lillard’s fault. His career average of 25.2 points per game ranks 11th among all players in NBA history who have appeared in at least 500 games. He’s had 17 games of at least 50 points in his career — two of them in the playoffs — and is a past rookie of the year, teammate of the year and winner of the NBA’s citizenship award.

He’s been an Olympic gold medalist, was the unanimous selection as MVP of the seeding games when the “bubble” season resumed at Walt Disney World during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and even won the 3-point contest at All-Star weekend in February.

And he has an absolute flair for drama. His series-winning shot to eliminate Oklahoma City from the 2019 NBA playoffs — a stepback 3-pointer over Paul George from nearly 40 feet as time expired — is one of the iconic postseason moments in not just Portland history but NBA history as well.

-Associated Press

NBA: Antetokounmpo sparks Bucks in Sixers rout, Dallas on brink

LOS ANGELES -- Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 points as the Milwaukee Bucks returned to form with a statement 117-104 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.

Eastern Conference top seed favourites Milwaukee -- routed 140-99 by Boston in their last outing on Thursday -- bounced back in style to score an emphatic win over the third-placed Sixers.

Antetokounmpo led a balanced Milwaukee offensive display that saw five players finish in double figures in a wire-to-wire victory at Fiserv Forum.

Antetokounmpo finished with 14 rebounds and six assists in addition to his 33-point haul, while Brook Lopez (21 points), Khris Middleton (19) and Jrue Holiday (18) all contributed.

Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers scoring with 29 points while Joel Embiid added 28.

The win edged Milwaukee closer to sealing top spot in the Eastern Conference.

With four games remaining in the regular season, the Bucks lead the East on 58-22, with Boston second on 54-24.

Philadelphia remain third on 51-27 following Sunday's loss.

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer meanwhile said Antetokounmpo's performance confirmed his belief that the Greek star should be the front-runner for the regular season MVP award.

"We certainly feel like Giannis is the MVP," Budenholzer said. "What he does at both ends of the court -- he does everything," Budenholzer said. "We feel like he's in the conversation and he should be the guy."

In other games on Sunday, Western Conference leaders Denver -- still missing Nikola Jokic -- held on for a tense 112-110 win over the Golden State Warriors.

Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray combined for 55 points as the Nuggets withstood a late Warriors rally to hold on.

Warriors star Klay Thompson missed a last-gasp three-point attempt before a desperate block from Murray thwarted another effort as time ran out.

- Lakers march on, Mavs fading -

In Los Angeles, LeBron James bagged the 107th triple-double of his career as the Lakers continued their late season resurgence with a 134-109 romp over the Houston Rockets.

James finished with 18 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, while Anthony Davis led the Lakers scoring with 40 points.

The Lakers third consecutive victory leaves them seventh in the Western Conference, just one spot outside the automatic postseason places.

In Oklahoma City meanwhile, Kevin Durant scored 35 points against his old club as the Phoenix Suns romped to a 128-118 win over the Thunder.

Shai Gilgeous Alexander scored a game-high 39 points for Oklahoma City, who are 10th in the Western Conference, just one win ahead of the Dallas Mavericks.

The Mavericks' hopes of forcing their into the postseason suffered another blow despite a 41-point performance from Kyrie Irving in Atlanta.

A thrilling duel in Atlanta saw the Hawks squeeze home 132-130 in overtime after Irving gave up a costly foul with 1.8 seconds remaining to hand two game-winning free throws to Trae Young.

It was the final act of a nail-biting encounter which saw Irving lead Dallas back from a 15-point deficit to tie the game after a wild ending to regulation where momentum swung back and forth in the closing seconds.

But Irving's heroics were in vain as he bundled over Young in overtime to give the Atlanta playmaker the chance to win the game that he converted.

Young finished with 24 points and 12 assists while Dejounte Murray led the Hawks scoring with 25 points. Seven Atlanta players finished in double figures.

The victory left Atlanta on course for a place in the play-in tournament with four games of the regular season remaining.

The Hawks are eighth in the East with a 39-39 record.

But Dallas's hopes are fading fast after another costly defeat that followed Saturday's loss to Miami.

"We know the situation we're in -- we're playing catch up," Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. "We've got to find a way to win.

"Right now we're coming up short when we need to win games. Unfortunately we're not winning right now."

Elsewhere Sunday, the New York Knicks assured themselves of a first playoff appearance since 2021 with a 118-109 win over the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden.

Jalen Brunson and Quentin Grimes scored 27 points apiece while Immanuel Quickley (22 points) and Obi Toppin (21) also came up big for New York.

In other games on Sunday, Chicago staged a stunning comeback from 23 points down to rout the Memphis Grizzlies 128-107 in the Windy City.

Memphis roared into a 68-53 halftime lead but were then blown away after the break as the Bulls poured in 75 second-half points.

Zach LaVine scored 36 points while DeMar DeRozan added 31 to power the Bulls to victory.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Bucks beat Raptors on Giannis triple double as Nets' streak ends

Giannis Antetokounmpo's triple-double sparked the Milwaukee Bucks to a 104-101 overtime victory at Toronto on Wednesday while the Brooklyn Nets saw their 12-game NBA win streak snapped.

Greek superstar Antetokounmpo scored 30 points, pulled down 21 rebounds and passed off 10 assists, the last to set up Grayson Allen's decisive 3-pointer with 11 seconds to play that rescued a Milwaukee triumph.

"You can't do it by yourself. You've got to trust your teammates, make plays for them," Antetokounmpo said.

"I'm trying to be aggressive... but at the end of the day everybody is sucking me in and the guy is open. That last play Grayson was wide open and I was able to get him the ball."

It was the 31st career triple-double for Antetokounmpo and the sixth time he managed 30 points and 20 rebounds in the same game -- heroics coming a night after scoring a career-high 55 points in a victory.

Antetokounmpo, who made 7 of 18 shots from the floor and 15 of 21 from the free throw line, was unhappy with a 28-7 Raptors run to close regulation time, Toronto tying the game at 97-97 on Gary Trent Jr's last-second 3-pointer to force overtime.

"We can't put ourselves in that position," Antetokounmpo said. "We were up 15 with two minutes left.

"But I think we did a good job keeping our composure and executing in the overtime -- finding open spots and defending -- and we were able to get the win."

Fred VanVleet, who led Toronto with 28 points, missed a potential tying 3-pointer at the finish.

DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams each scored 22 points and Nikola Vucevic added 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead Chicago over Brooklyn, 121-112.

The Bulls (17-21) snapped Brooklyn's 12-game win streak when a victory would have pulled the visiting Nets (25-13) level for the Eastern Conference lead with Boston.

Instead, they share second with the Bucks, one game adrift.

Chicago's triumph spoiled a 44-point effort from Brooklyn's Kevin Durant while Kyrie Irving added 25 points.

Philadelphia's James Harden had 26 points and eight assists while Tobias Harris, De'Anthony Melton and Montrezl Harrell each added 19 points to power the host 76ers over Indiana, 129-126, in overtime.

The 76ers (23-14) were playing without star big man Joel Embiid due to a sore left foot but still snapped Indiana's four-game win streak.

A Harris tip-in with six seconds to play lifted the Sixers level at 120-120 to force overtime. Harris made two free throws with four seconds remaining in the extra session to create the final margin.

 Cavs beat Suns 

Evan Mobley's jumper with four seconds remaining gave Cleveland a 90-88 victory over Phoenix. Caris LeVert led the Cavaliers with 21 points while Donovan Mitchell had 20 and nine assists.

Ja Morant scored 23 points and dished out eight rebounds to spark Memphis in a 131-107 romp at Charlotte as the Grizzlies (24-13) matched Denver for the Western Conference lead.

Anthony Edwards netted 32 points to power the Minnesota Timberwolves over visiting Portland, 113-106.

C.J. McCollum scored 28 points and Jonas Valanciunas added 16 points and 17 rebounds to lead New Orleans over visiting Houston, 119-108.

Jalen Brunson scored 38 points and Julius Randle added 25 points and 13 rebounds to spark host New York over San Antonio, 117-114.

Paolo Banchero, last year's NBA Draft top pick, had 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to lead host Orlando over Oklahoma City, 126-115.

Saddiq Bey's 3-pointer at the buzzer gave the Detroit Pistons a 122-119 victory at Golden State. Croatian forward Bojan Bogdanovic led Detroit with 29 points.

John Collins and De'Andre Hunter each scored 22 points to lead Atlanta in a 120-117 triumph at Sacramento.

German guard Denis Schroder shook off an ankle sprain to score a season-high 32 points and lead the Los Angeles Lakers over visiting Miami, 112-109.

Lakers star LeBron James sat out against his former club with a non-COVID illness, joining injured forward Anthony Davis on the sidelines.

Agence France-Presse

 

Milwaukee loses Middleton (knee) for East 2nd round, report says

Defending NBA champion Milwaukee is expected to play without injured swingman Khris Middleton for the entire second-round playoff series against Boston, according to a report on Thursday.

Middleton, who hurt his left knee in the second game of the Bucks' first-round series against Chicago, has a grade two ligament sprain, The Athletic reported, and is unlikely to return for Milwaukee's Eastern Conference semfinal against the Celtics that starts Sunday in Boston.

Middleton could also miss the Eastern Conference finals if the Bucks advance that far, according to the report.

The setback came with 6:49 remaining in the fourth quarter when Middleton tried to plant his leg for a spin move. The Bucks lost the contest to Chicago 114-110 but won every other meeting to eliminate the Bulls in five games.

Middleton said this week he hoped to return to the court by May 6, which would be the eve of game three of the Bucks' series against Boston.

If the series went the distance, a seventh game would be played on May 15.

Middleton, 30, helped the Bucks to the NBA crown last July then featured as the United States captured Olympic gold in Tokyo.

This season, Middleton averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and a career-high 5.4 assists plus 1.2 steals a game. He reached his third NBA All-Star Game this season.

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer says Middleton will be re-evaluated next Wednesday after missing the first two games of the Boston series.

"While we don't have him, we've got to be our best all up and down the roster," Budenholzer said.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Bucks hold on for Game 1 win vs. Bulls

Reigning NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks, led by Most Valuable Player award contender Giannis Antetokounmpo, beat the Chicago Bulls 93-86 in their Eastern Conference playoff opener.

Antetokounmpo scored 27 points and pulled down 16 rebounds to lead the Bucks to victory, although foul trouble kept him on the bench for much of the fourth quarter.

Montenegrin center Nikola Vucevic led the Bulls with 24 points and 17 rebounds, but missed two straight baskets in the paint in the final minute.

The Bucks led by as many as 16 points in the first half, the Bulls taking the lead for the first time with less than three minutes left in the third quarter.

Milwaukee's Jrue Holiday drilled a go-ahead three-pointer with 5:03 remaining, and the Bulls wouldn't get in front again.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Grizzlies extend home dominance by beating Bucks

De'Anthony Melton scored a season-high 24 points as the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the visiting Milwaukee Bucks 127-102 on Saturday night to run their home winning streak to seven games.

The 6-foot-2 guard came off the bench and shot 8-of-11 from the field, including 6-of-9 from 3-point range, to lead the Grizzlies (52-23) to a split of their season series with Milwaukee.

Desmond Bane scored 20 points for the Grizzlies and Dillon Brooks chipped in 19.

Giannis Antetokounmpo paced the Bucks (46-28) with 30 points on 11-of-20 shooting to go with 11 rebounds and four blocks. Khris Middleton supplied 16 points, and reserve Bobby Portis chipped in seven points and 11 rebounds.

Milwaukee struggled with its ball security, committing 13 total turnovers. It also had its worst 3-point shooting performance (21.9 percent) from beyond the arc since Jan. 21.

The Grizzlies went into the break with a 59-46 lead after holding the Bucks to just 18 points in the second quarter. Bane and Melton led all scorers with 12 points apiece, and Brooks had 11.

Memphis dominated down low, scoring 26 points in the paint compared to Milwaukee's 16. The Grizzlies also cashed in at the free throw line, going a perfect 11-for-11 in the half.

Antetokounmpo had team highs of 10 points and nine rebounds in the first half, but he went just 3-for-11 from the field. Middleton had nine points, and the Bucks sunk just five of their 19 (26.3 percent) 3-point attempts in the half.

After trailing by 18, Milwaukee pulled within 13 with 7:02 remaining in the third. The comeback would be short-lived, though, as the Grizzlies later hit four 3-pointers within a two-minute span and led by 19 to start the fourth.

The Bucks got no closer than 15 in the fourth quarter.

In a high-scoring first quarter, Brooks went for 11 points and the Grizzlies closed the frame on a 12-5 run to capture an early four-point lead.

-reuters-

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: Klay Thompson scores season-high 38 as Warriors drop Bucks

Klay Thompson turned back the clock with his most points since before his two season-ending injuries, using eight 3-pointers as the foundation for a 38-point explosion that propelled the Golden State Warriors past the visiting Milwaukee Bucks 122-109 Saturday night in San Francisco.

In a battle of NBA heavyweights, Jordan Poole chipped in with 30 points, Andrew Wiggins added 21 and Jonathan Kuminga recorded his second professional double-double as the Warriors won a third straight despite getting just eight points from Stephen Curry.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had a team-high 31 points and Khris Middleton 18 for the Bucks, who buried 17 3-pointers but nonetheless were outscored 54-51 from beyond the arc by the hot-shooting Warriors.

Thompson shot 15-for-24 overall and 8-for-14 on threes en route to his most points since 39 against the Denver Nuggets in March of 2019.

Thompson, who suffered a ruptured Achilles in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors, missed the entire 2020 and 2021 seasons, the latter after tearing his ACL while rehabbing the Achilles injury.

His previous high this season in 21 games had been 33 against the Los Angeles Lakers exactly one month ago on Feb. 12.

Poole was nearly equally brilliant, shooting 9-for-16 from the field and 5-for-10 from deep en route to his seventh 30-point game of the season. He missed a season high -- 33 against Toronto in November -- by three points.

The Warriors shot 48.4 percent overall and 40.0 percent on 3-pointers in avenging a 118-99 blowout at Milwaukee in January.

Kuminga's double-double featured a game-high and season-best 11 rebounds to go with 14 points.

Curry aided the cause with a game-high eight assists on a night when he attempted just seven shots.

Antetokounmpo got to the free-throw line 18 times -- three more than the entire Warriors team -- and used 12 foul-shot points to raise his point total over 30 for the 28th time this season.

He also found time for a team-high eight rebounds.

Serge Ibaka (15 points), Jrue Holiday (13) and Grayson Allen (12) also scored in double figures for the Bucks, who saw a six-game winning streak come to an end in the opener of a four-game Western swing.

-reuters- 

NBA: Bucks roll over Clippers, win second straight out West

Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds and five assists and Jrue Holiday added 27 points with 13 assists as the visiting Milwaukee Bucks used a third-quarter burst to earn a 137-113 victory Sunday over the new-look Los Angeles Clippers.

Bobby Portis added 24 points with 11 rebounds as the Bucks won their second straight game to open a four-stop Western Conference road trip. An NBA Finals rematch against the Phoenix Suns looms Thursday.

Norman Powell scored 28 points in his Clippers debut and Marcus Morris Sr. added 20 as Los Angeles lost for the third time in its last five games. 

Robert Covington, who also was making his Clippers debut, added 13 points. Powell and Covington were acquired in a trade Friday from the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Clippers started fast, taking a 32-28 lead after one quarter. Both Powell and Covington made their team debut late in the first quarter and each hit the first shot they attempted, both 3-pointers.

The Bucks moved in front in the second quarter, outscoring the Clippers 32-19 to take a 60-51 lead at the break. Antetokounmpo scored 17 points in the first half.

A 21-8 run to open the third quarter put Milwaukee in control. The Bucks took their first double-digit lead at 63-53 on a Khris Middleton 3-pointer less than two minutes into the second half. 

They led by 20 for the first time at 76-56 on a Pat Connaughton 3-pointer two minutes later.

The Clippers used an 11-2 run in the fourth quarter to pull within single digits at 101-92 with 9:12 remaining before Milwaukee answered with a 9-2 run to take a 110-94 lead with 6:50 remaining.

Connaughton had 18 points for the Bucks, while Middleton added 17. Ivica Zubac, Reggie Jackson and Amir Coffey all had 10 points for Los Angeles.

After going 4-4 on a mammoth eight-game road trip, the Clippers split a pair of games at home and now head out on a three-game trip that starts Tuesday at Memphis.

-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: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks overpower Magic

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points and a season-high 20 rebounds, Bobby Portis added a season-high 24 points with the help of six 3-pointers, and the host Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Orlando Magic 117-108 on Saturday.

Antetokounmpo went 15-for-23 at the free-throw line, while Portis also had 15 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. The Bucks won their third game in a row for the first time this season.

Orlando put together a 30-8 fourth-quarter run, closing within 107-101 on R.J. Hampton's steal and layup with 2:05 left. But Antetokounmpo's dunk with one minute to go helped the Bucks get some breathing room, 111-101.

The Magic outscored Milwaukee 37-21 in the fourth quarter behind the play of their reserves, as Hampton scored 13 of his 19 points. He also finished with nine assists.

Milwaukee's three wins have come to start a five-game homestand, which continues with another matchup against Orlando on Monday night. The Bucks also completed a back-to-back sweep that included Friday's 96-89 win over Oklahoma City.

Orlando dropped a back-to-back set that began with Friday's 115-113 loss to the host Brooklyn Nets.

Cole Anthony, Orlando's leading scorer at 19.6 points per game, did not play Saturday due to a sprained right ankle after he had 16 points and nine assists against Brooklyn.

Milwaukee made 12 3-pointers in the first half and finished 19-for-40 (47.5 percent) from beyond the arc. Seven Bucks players made triples, paced by Portis' season-best 6-for-7 performance.

Grayson Allen scored 16 points, including making four treys. Khris Middleton added 13 points and eight assists, one night after becoming Milwaukee's all-time leader for made 3-pointers, and Jrue Holiday and Pat Connaughton each scored 11 points.

Jalen Suggs posted 14 points, six rebounds and four assists for Orlando, which finished 19-for-51 from 3-point range, and Chuma Okeke contributed 13 points off the bench on 6-for-11 shooting.

Connaughton and Allen each scored five points during a 13-0 run that gave the Bucks a 29-14 lead with 3:22 remaining in the first quarter. Milwaukee led by as many as 17 points early in the second quarter before Orlando narrowed the gap to 62-50 by halftime.

But the Bucks opened the second half with another 13-0 run, as Middleton hit a step-back jumper at the 8:05 mark for a 75-50 advantage.

The lead grew to 86-59 when Antetokounmpo spun into the lane and threw down a two-handed dunk. The Bucks outscored Orlando 34-21 in the third quarter for a 96-71 lead.

-reuters-

Bucks' Antetokounmpo named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player after leading his team to a 4-2 series victory over the visiting Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.

Antetokounmpo, who was born and raised in Athens to Nigerian parents, joins Dirk Nowitzki (2011), Tony Parker (2007), Tim Duncan (2005 and 2003) and Hakeem Olajuwon (1994 and 1995) as the only international players to be named NBA Finals MVP.

It was a remarkable NBA Finals debut for the 26-year-old Antetokounmpo, especially considering he missed the final two games of the previous series after suffering a gruesome-looking hyperextension of his left knee.

But Antetokounmpo managed to play in each game of the NBA Finals during which he averaged 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds and 5 assists over six games.

Antetokounmpo saved his best for last as he recorded a playoff career-high 50 points in the championship-clinching game at home to go along with 14 rebounds and five blocks.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Christian Schmollinger)

-reuters-

Bucks close out Suns for first NBA title in 50 years

The Milwaukee Bucks, powered by a masterpiece from Greek forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, captured the franchise's first NBA championship in 50 years with a 105-98 win over the visiting Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.

With the victory, the Bucks clinched the NBA Finals 4-2 and became only the fifth team to win the best-of-seven championship series after losing the first two games.

Antetokounmpo was named most valuable player of the series after scoring a playoff career-high 50 points in the clinching game that will surely soothe the Bucks' recent history of postseason failure.

"I'm so blessed to work with Giannis every day," Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said during an on-court interview.

"He's a special human being, he's an even more amazing human being than he is a player. I've learned so much from him and his leadership."

Phoenix overcame a slow start to the game and led by as many as seven points early in the third quarter but could not contain Antetokounmpo down the stretch.

Suns guard Chris Paul had a team-high 26 points.

For Phoenix, who were seeking their first championship in the team's 53-year existence, the defeat marked the first time all season they have lost four consecutive games.

Unlike last year's NBA Finals when the celebratory screams of the Los Angeles Lakers echoed across an arena void of fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bucks' win kicked off a wild party for both a capacity crowd of 17,000 inside and the 65,000 supporters who attended a watch party outside the arena.

SHAKY START

Both teams got off to a shaky start that saw poor shooting on both ends of the court and plenty of turnovers but Milwaukee, powered by Antetokounmpo, led 29-16 after the first quarter.

Phoenix, facing elimination for the first time in the 2021 playoffs, shook off their lowest-scoring first quarter of the postseason as they turned up the defense while Chris Paul led the offense as the Suns took a 47-42 lead into the half.

The Suns opened up a seven-point lead early in the third quarter but the Bucks responded with a 16-6 run that put them back in front. From there the teams went back and forth and took a 77-77 tied into the final quarter.

But Milwaukee never trailed the rest of the way and it was Antetokounmpo who took over on the offensive end to deny the Suns' a chance to host a decisive seventh game. 

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Tom Hogue and Muralikumar Anantharaman)

-reuters-

Giannis hungers for NBA title with Bucks on the brink

MILWAUKEE -- Giannis Antetokounmpo finds it harder to focus and stay in the moment with the Milwaukee Bucks on the verge of their first NBA title in 50 years.

The 26-year-old Greek star forward, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, can move beyond past playoff failures and win his first crown with a victory in Tuesday's sixth game of the NBA Finals at Milwaukee.

"It means a lot," Antetokounmpo said. "But I can't get too carried away. I have to stay in the present. I can't worry about the outcome.

"We know what the deal is. It's one game away from being an NBA champ, being in the history of this game, being always there. Nobody can take that away from you. It's going to be big."

The Bucks lead the best-of-seven showdown 3-2 and can win their first crown since 1971 before a noisy sellout crowd with 25,000 more people packing the "Deer District" and watching on screens outside the arena.

"It's going to be amazing to do it in front of our fans," Antetokounmpo said. "But there are more steps until we get there.

"We've got to focus. We've got to watch the clips and see what we did well, what we didn't do well, what can we do better.

"When the game starts, we have to take it a possession at a time and hopefully we can be in a position to win."

Milwaukee's Jrue Holiday said control during an emotional roller coaster is vital.

"We've really just got to lock in, not get too high, not get too low," Holiday said. "You've got to give it your all. At this point there's no excuses."

Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to the NBA's best record the previous two seasons only to see Milwaukee make disappointing playoff exits, dropping four in a row to Toronto in 2019 and losing to NBA runner-up Miami in 2020.

"What we've been through the last couple years, it has prepared us to be in this moment," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "It's just part of our journey and we've still got a ways to go."

Antetokounmpo stresses the work yet to come.

"We have to enjoy the moment," Antetokounmpo said. "But the job is not done. We have to realize that. We have got to stay in the present.

"We've got to stay humble. When this team is humble, this team is very, very dangerous."

Past playoff failures have taught the Bucks to be champions, Milwaukee's Pat Connaughton said.

"When adversity hit in the playoffs, we weren't able to really get through it," he said.

"Throughout these playoffs, when adversity has hit, we've come together even stronger. We've had each other's backs. That's what championship-caliber basketball is all about."

The Bucks could become only the fifth team to win the title after losing the first two games of the finals, joining the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers, 2006 Miami Heat, 1977 Portland Trail Blazers and 1969 Boston Celtics.

The rare feat would put Antetokounmpo among some of the NBA's greatest legends, including LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade and record 11-time champion Bill Russell.

"We don't stop," Antetokounmpo said. "Usually when you're down 0-2, you stop competing in a way. But this team, we don't do that. We keep coming, keep competing."

- Greatness in struggle -

The Suns, who dropped game five at home on Saturday, must win Tuesday to force a winner-take-all seventh game Thursday at Phoenix.

"Pressure is a privilege," Suns coach Monty Williams said. "As hard as it is, this is what you want. You're not going to find greatness on a beach. You're going to find it in the struggle."

The Suns chase the first title in their 53-year history.

"If you sulk about it, in the blink of an eye the season is going to be over," Phoenix forward Mikal Bridges said. "So, we'll learn from it. We know what we have to do. We're ready, man, just do or die."

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Suns will 'build a wall' to stop Antetokounmpo, says Chris Paul

Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul said on Tuesday his team will try to "build a wall" in front of dominant Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo in their bid to secure the franchise's first NBA championship.

Phoenix leads the best-of-seven NBA Finals 2-1. But the series appears far from over as Antetokounmpo has been nothing short of unstoppable since Milwaukee lost the opening game, and has proven to be too much for the Suns to contain.

Over the last two games the "Greek Freak," as he's been nicknamed, has become only the second player in history with back-to-back 40-point, 10-rebound games in the NBA Finals. That puts him in elite company with Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal.

"We're going to keep trying to build a wall," Paul said ahead of Wednesday's Game Four in Milwaukee.

"He's coming full speed every play, like a (NFL) running back coming downhill. Coach has a saying, we just say we try to get in his way. But he's able to do that because he's surrounded by some really good players too."

Antetokounmpo's interior dominance has breathed new life into an NBA Finals that initially appeared headed for a quick finish after Phoenix won the first two games of the series.

The two-times NBA Most Valuable Player's work in the paint has led some to compare him to Lakers great O'Neal.

"Regardless of how he scores, he does it. You know what I mean? He comes down there, he dunks, he dunks some more and he shoots a layup," said Paul.

"We have to try to figure out a way to slow him down... I don't care what the stat sheet looks like after the game. Win the game."

Antetokounmpo, who returned to action for the NBA Finals after missing two games of the Eastern Conference finals with a hyperextended left knee, has shown no ill effects of the injury and says he feels great.

While Milwaukee is raring to go, Antetokounmpo said the Bucks will enjoy a full two days off between Sunday's Game Three, which they won handily, and Wednesday's clash.

"It's good for us mentally and physically and for me also," said Antetokounmpo during a break in practice on Tuesday.

"I always like to have a little bit more time in between the games so I can get a little bit more rest and recover a little bit better and be able to go and play hard."

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Dan Grebler)

-reuters-

Bucks don't rule out Giannis Antetokounmpo return for NBA Finals

LOS ANGELES -- The Milwaukee Bucks are still hoping two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo could return from injury in time to boost their championship series bid against the Phoenix Suns.

The Greek star missed the last two games of the Bucks' Eastern Conference Finals victory over the Atlanta Hawks after hyperextending his left knee in game four.

With game one of the of the NBA Finals set for Tuesday, Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said Antetokounmpo was "day-to-day" with the injury.

"You have to listen to the player and then you have to listen to the sports performance group, and at some point (Bucks general manager) Jon Horst and myself are part of the conversations, but it’s just a day-to-day thing," Budenholzer said after the Bucks beat the Hawks 118-107 in Atlanta on Saturday night for a 4-2 series victory.

"We'll update it when appropriate. The conversations between he and myself, it's kind of private and we'll see where he is each day."

Khris Middleton came up big in Antetokounmpo's absence, scoring 32 points in the series-clinching win that sent the Bucks to their first NBA Finals since 1974.

Budenholzer said he wouldn't expect any less from all the Bucks players if Antetokounmpo remains sidelined.

"If he's on the bench for whatever reason, we need to be able to play," said Budenholzer, who added that he was impressed with Antetokounmpo's enthusiasm and leadership from the sidelines during the final two games against Atlanta.

"I think he almost got a delay of game," he said of Antetokounmpo's enthusiastic in-game conversations with teammates during Saturday's game.

"To see that kind of leadership, that kind of connection and that kind of commitment from a player you know would be dying to be out there -- I just loved his energy on the bench."

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Antetokounmpo (knee) out for Hawks-Bucks Game 5

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against the visiting Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night due to a hyperextended left knee.

The series is tied at 2-2, with the winner of the best-of-seven series moving on to face the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals.

The Bucks remained 2-point favorites at most sportsbooks even after the news of his Game 5 status.

Antetokounmpo sustained the injury during the third quarter of the Bucks' 110-88 loss in Game 4 on Tuesday.

The two-time league MVP was contesting an alley-oop attempt by Hawks center Clint Capela when he landed awkwardly and bent his knee. An MRI revealed no structural damage.

Antetokounmpo, 26, is averaging 26.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals in this series. He has shot 60.8 percent from the field.

The Bucks were 6-5 without Antetokounmpo in the lineup during the regular season, and 40-21 with him.

-reuters-

NBA: Hawks pull level with Bucks as Giannis Antetokounmpo exits injured

Lou Williams contributed 21 points and eight assists while starting in place of injured star Trae Young to help the Atlanta Hawks post a 110-88 victory over the visiting Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday and tie the Eastern Conference finals at two games apiece.

Bogdan Bogdanovic made six 3-pointers while adding 20 points for the fifth-seeded Hawks, who never trailed and led by as many as 25 points.

While Young sat out Game 4 with a bone bruise in his right foot, the third-seeded Bucks lost their own star when two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo hyperextended his left knee in the third quarter and didn't return.

Antetokounmpo had 14 points and eight rebounds in 24 minutes before exiting with 7:14 left in the third period.

Game 5 is Thursday night in Milwaukee.

Clint Capela added 15 points for the Hawks before leaving with 3:28 left in the fourth after taking an elbow to his nose from Milwaukee's Sam Merrill. Kevin Huerter also scored 15 points for Atlanta.

Jrue Holiday recorded 19 points and nine assists and Khris Middleton had 16 points and eight rebounds for the Bucks, who were a woeful 8 of 39 (20.5 percent) from 3-point range while shooting 39.3 percent overall.

Antetokounmpo was helped off the floor by his brother Thanasis after getting hurt.

Antetokounmpo got injured when he leaped to defend an alley-oop pass to Capela. Antetokounmpo hyperextended his knee as he landed. He fell to the court in intense pain, grabbing the knee, and Capela fell on top of him after scoring the basket.

Young was injured in Game 3 on Sunday night when he inadvertently stepped on an official's foot.

Cam Reddish added 12 points and Danilo Gallinari tallied 10 for Atlanta, which shot 50 percent from the field and was 13 of 38 (34.2 percent) from behind the arc.

Capela's basket on the play in which Antetokounmpo was hurt ignited a 17-2 burst that saw the Hawks open up a 77-54 lead with 3:18 left in the third. Bogdanovic knocked down three 3-pointers during the run.

Reddish's 3-pointer with 29.7 seconds left elevated Atlanta's lead to 87-62 entering the fourth quarter.

Reddish and Huerter buried baskets 13 seconds apart in the final stanza to make it 104-80 with 4:20 left, prompting Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer to pull Holiday and Middleton and look toward Game 5.

Williams hit all four of his first-half field-goal attempts -- including one 3-pointer -- while scoring 13 points to help the Hawks hold a 51-38 halftime lead.

-reuters-