BUCKS WAGI LABAN SA SUNS
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Nagpakitang-gilas si Damian Lillard ngayong wala si Giannis Antetokounmpo dahil sa hamstring injury at umiskor ng 31 puntos at namamahagi ng 16 na assist sa 140-129 panalo ng Milwaukee laban sa Phoenix sa National Basketball Association noong Linggo.
Nagdagdag si Reserve Bobby Portis ng 31 puntos at 10 rebounds para sa host Bucks, na umunlad sa 44-24 at humigpit ang hawak sa pangalawa sa Eastern Conference.
Si Lillard, ang unang manlalaro sa kasaysayan ng Bucks na may 30 puntos at 15 assist sa parehong laro, ay pinuri si Portis at iba pa sa pag-step up sa Greek superstar na si Antetokounmpo na nasa sideline.
“It was huge,” sabi ni Lillard. “One of our biggest strengths is our depth. Bobby Portis is a starter on any other team but for our team he knows what his job is.”
“Down a guy like Giannis, you know everybody is going to have to step their game up. We’ve been in this situation a couple of times this year and every time he has come through and delivered. I knew I wouldn’t have to come out and overdo it. Feed him. Feed everybody else, pick my spots and be aggressive,” dagdag niya.
Si Lillard ay may 14 points at 12 assists sa first half nang makuha ng Milwaukee ang 82-60 half-time edge, ang Bucks ay tumugma sa NBA record na hawak ng Suns at Utah sa pamamagitan ng paggawa ng 18 first-half three-pointers.
Si Portis ay may 25 first-half points sa 10-of-13 shooting, 5-of-5 mula sa labas ng arc habang ang Bucks ay nagtala ng 24-of-41 mula sa kabuuang 3-point range.
“It’s fun after all the work you put in,” sabi ni Portis. “Just having good teammates and coaches that believe in you. We go through this marathon 82-game season together and try to build great camaraderie and chemistry.”
Gumawa si Lillard ng 10-of-19 shots mula sa floor, 7-of-7 free throws at 4-of-8 mula sa 3-point range, kabilang ang buzzer-beater mula sa mid-court logo para bigyan ang Bucks ng 109-94 nangunguna pagkatapos ng tatlong quarter.
“They probably thought with Giannis out, I was going to just try and force it. I just took advantage of what their defense was doing,” sabi ni Lillard. “When we play that way, we play our best -- and I think I play my best.”
Si Khris Middleton ng Milwaukee, na hindi naka-16 na laro dahil sa sprained left ankle, ay nagdagdag ng 22 puntos sa kanyang pagbabalik.
Pinangunahan ni Bradley Beal ang Suns na may 28 puntos habang nagdagdag si Grayson Allen ng 25 at si Devin Booker ay may 23 puntos.
Nagpakawala si Kyrie Irving ng left-handed 20-foot floater shot sa final buzzer para bigyan ang Dallas ng 107-105 home victory laban sa Denver, na pinutol ang limang sunod na panalo ng Nuggets.