Bucks don't have Antetokounmpo, but still beat Clippers for 6th straight win
Damian Lillard scored 41 points and the Milwaukee Bucks overcame the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo to rally past the Los Angeles Clippers 113-106 on Monday night for their sixth straight victory.
Antetokounmpo missed his third game of the season as he deals with left Achilles tendinitis. The only other times he sat out were a Nov. 15 win at Toronto with a strained right calf and a Jan. 17 loss at Cleveland with a bruised right shoulder.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers said before the game that the Achilles issue had been “on and off for the last two or three games.”
Milwaukee is hot enough right now to win even without its two-time MVP.
The Bucks are unbeaten since the All-Star break as they get ready to begin a four-game trip to California that starts Wednesday at Golden State and includes a rematch with the Clippers on Sunday.
Bobby Portis scored 14 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and finished with a season-high 16 rebounds. Patrick Beverley added 12 points and sparked the winning rally.
James Harden and Paul George scored 29 points each for the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard added 16 points.
After trailing by 13 in the final minute of the third quarter, the Bucks scored 10 straight points to get back within striking distance. They finally tied the game at 96 on Beverley's 3-pointer with 4:33 left.
On the Clippers' ensuing possession, Beverley stole the ball from Harden to set up Lillard's driving layup with 4:10 remaining that gave the Bucks their first lead since the opening period.
T'WOLVES 119, BLAZERS 114 >>
Rudy Gobert had 25 points and 16 rebounds for his 43rd double-double of the season, Michael Conley added 19 points and seven assists, and Minnesota completed a four-game season sweep of Portland.
GRIZZLIES 106, NETS 102 >>
Luke Kennard scored a season-high 25 points and
Memphis snapped a fivegame losing streak by beating Brooklyn.
Jake LaRavia added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who outrebounded the Nets 51-33 and piled up 25 secondchance points to make up for all the offense they are missing because of injuries. Lamar Stevens chipped in 13 points.
JAZZ 127, WIZARDS 115 >> Jordan Clarkson scored a season-high 38 points, including a 12-0 run down the stretch, to boost Utah over Washington.
Collin Sexton scored 29 points and John Collins added 17 points, 15 rebounds and a career-high six blocks for Utah, who had lost eight of nine.