Antetokounmpo, Middleton lead Bucks to victory
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 47 points and Khris Middleton tied Milwaukee’s franchise record for career 3-pointers as the Bucks beat the Los Angeles Lakers 109102 on Wednesday night in Milwaukee.
Middleton returned after missing eight games due to COVID-19 and made consecutive 3-pointers 30 seconds apart early in the fourth quarter to put the Bucks ahead for good. The second of those 3s was his 1,051st with the Bucks to match Ray Allen for first place on the team’s all-time list.
Allen holds the NBA record with 2,973 3-pointers in a career that also included stints with the Seattle SuperSonics, Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.
LeBron James missed an eighth straight game for the Lakers due to an abdominal strain. The Lakers have gone 3-5 during that stretch.
Talen Horton-Tucker scored 25 points for the Lakers two nights after getting a career-high 28 in a 121-103 loss to Chicago. Russell Westbrook had 19 points, Anthony Davis 18, Malik Monk 11 and Carmelo Anthony 10.
Antetokounmpo posted his highest point total since scoring 50 in a Game 6 Finals victory over the Phoenix Suns that clinched Milwaukee’s first title since 1971.
NETS 109, CAVALIERS 99 >> James Harden scored 27 points, LaMarcus Aldridge had 24 and Kevin Durant 23 to help host Brooklyn beat short-handed Cleveland. Patty Mills added 21 points to give the Nets four 20-point scorers for the first time this season. Brooklyn improved to 11-5 with its eighth victory in 10 games. Ricky Rubio led Cleveland with 25 points. Cleveland played without center Jarrett Allen (illness), guard Collin Sexton (torn left meniscus), and forwards Evan Mobley (sprained right elbow), Lauri Markkanen (conditioning) and Lamar Stevens (sprained right ankle).
HAWKS 110, CELTICS 99 >> John Collins scored 20 points, Cam Reddish and Kevin Huerter had 19 apiece and host Atlanta won its third straight game. The Celtics missed a chance to climb above .500 for the first time this season. Trae Young chipped in with 18 points and 11 assists as the Hawks used a balanced attack to overcome a 34-point performance by Jayson Tatum.
HORNETS 97, WIZARDS 87 >> Terry Rozier scored 19 points, Miles Bridges added 17 and host Charlotte beat Washington for its fourth straight victory. Kelly Oubre
Jr. had 14 points for Charlotte, which ended Washington’s five-game winning steak after it stopped Golden State’s run at seven Sunday. LaMelo Ball added 11 points and a career-high 14 assists, Mason Plumlee had 11 points and 13 rebounds, Jalen McDaniels also scored 11 points. HEAT 113, PELICANS 98 >> Jimmy Butler had a tripledouble in his return from a sprained right ankle, finishing with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in host Miami’s 113-98 victory. With Miami without starters Bam Adebayo (bruised left knee) and Kyle Lowry (rest), Butler shot 10 of 12 from the field and made 10 of 12 free throws after missing the previous three games. Tyler Herro scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half for the Heat. Herro also hit three 3-pointers, including a mid-court pass intended for Butler that landed inside the rim.