Giannis, Bucks finish sweep of Knicks MORANT LEADS GRIZZLIES PAST ROCKETS TO 6TH STRAIGHT WIN
LOS ANGELES — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 37 points in just 21 minutes Tuesday night for the host Milwaukee Bucks, who concluded their season-long dominance of the New York Knicks by cruising to a 128-102 victory.
The Bucks swept the threegame season series from the Knicks and never trailed in outscoring New York by total of 91 points (383-292).
The Bucks have won four in a row overall and nine of 10 to improve to an NBA-best 36-6. The Knicks, whose 11-30 record at the season’s midway point is the third-worst mark in the league, have lost six of seven.
Antetokounmpo, who also had nine rebounds and four assists, is just the second player this season to score at least 30 points while playing fewer than 22 minutes. Paul George had 37 points in 20 minutes for the Los Angeles Clippers against the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 16.
Khris Middleton scored 17 points while Ersan Ilyasova had 14 points off the bench for the Bucks. Eric Bledsoe added 11 points.
Julius Randle (25 points, 15 rebounds) had a double-double for the Knicks. RJ Barrett scored 22 points, and Bobby Portis (20 points) and Kevin Knox II (10 points) each reached double digits off the bench.
Antetokounmpo and Middleton scored four points apiece in an 8-0 game-opening run for the Bucks. The Knicks missed their first five shots. Randle (eight points) and Mitchell Robinson (four points) combined to spark a 12-4 run for New York that closed Milwaukee’s lead to 23-21.
But the Bucks mounted another big quarter-opening run in the second, when Antetokounmpo had five points in a 10-0 spurt that extended the lead to 39-23.
The Knicks closed within 10 points a handful of times before Milwaukee opened its first 20-point lead by going on a 16-5 run that was capped by five straight points from Donte DiVincenzo. Antetokounmpo scored the final four points of the half as the hosts entered the locker room with a 65-40 lead.
Antetokounmpo scored five points in the first 1:47 of the second half as the Bucks opened up a 72-42 lead. They led by as many as 35 in the third and were on top 108-76 entering the fourth. The Knicks never got closer than 23 in the final period.
Ja Morant paired 26 points with eight assists and took over down the stretch as the host Memphis Grizzlies extended their winning streak to six games with a 121-110 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday.
After James Harden pulled the Rockets to within 98-96 on a technical free throw with 6:42 remaining, Morant drilled two 3-pointers, and completed a three-point play as Memphis reclaimed a 114-105 lead with just over two minutes to play. It was yet another dynamic performance for the rookie point guard, who finished 10 for 11 from the floor.
Dillon Brooks added 24 points on 6-for-10 shooting from 3-point range, while Jonas Valanciunas and Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 19 and 15 points, respectively.
The Grizzlies surged to the lead in the second quarter and mustered hasty responses when the Rockets took brief leads in the third and fourth.
Harden scored a game-high 41 points but shot just 13 of 37 overall and missed 14 of 19 3-pointers. Houston played without guard Russell Westbrook (rest), with his replacement Ben McLemore producing 14 points on 5 of 12 shooting.
Eric Gordon added 23 points off the bench for the Rockets, who shot just 31.1 percent (14 of 45) from behind the arc. Clint Capela finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds for the Rockets.
Harden poured in 17 points in the opening period on 6-of-8 shooting, yet the Rockets couldn’t shake Memphis. The Grizzlies erased what was an 11-point deficit in roughly three minutes, pulling even at 22-22 when Valanciunas nailed an 11-foot jumper at the 4:29 mark of the first.
The Rockets reclaimed a 39-32 lead early in the second before the Grizzlies exploded and seized control. —