Giannis makes another memory
MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo says he wants to keep producing outstanding performances that he can show his kids one day when they're old enough to appreciate them.
The two-time MVP added one more to the list Sunday night.
Antetokounmpo scored 50 points while playing only 30 minutes as the Milwaukee Bucks rolled to a 135-110 victory over the slumping New Orleans Pelicans. Antetokounmpo shot 20 of 26 from the floor — including 3 of 4 from 3point range — and 7 of 12 from the foul line.
“They might say, ‘Daddy, you're boring. You're lame. We don't want to see your highlights. We've heard so much about you. We want to watch Scooby-doo' or whatever the case might be,” Antetokounmpo said. “I'm just going to keep creating the way people in the past created, the way I can go back and watch Magic Johnson highlights, Kevin Garnett highlights, Kobe Bryant highlights, Allen Iverson highlights, KD'S, Lebron's. They've created so much art throughout the years, and we can go back and see it and admire what they did. Tim Duncan.”
Antetokounmpo's 50 points were five off the career high he set Jan. 4 in a 123-113 victory over the Washington Wizards.
Jrue Holiday scored 17 and Brook Lopez added 15 for the Bucks, who shot 55.2 percent.
New Orleans never led and lost its eighth straight. The Pelicans were playing for the second consecutive night — they lost 113-103 at home to the Wizards on Saturday — and were missing their top three scorers.
Zion Williamson hasn't played since Jan. 2 due to a strained right hamstring. Brandon Ingram (toe injury on left foot) and CJ Mccollum (sprained right thumb) also were out Sunday.
Jose Alvarado stepped up to lead the Pelicans with 18 points, while Trey Murphy III and Jonas Valanciunas had 16 each.
“I thought our effort was there,” Pelicans coach Willie Green. “I thought we fought. It just wasn't enough tonight.”
Even at full strength, the Pelicans would have struggled to slow down Antetokounmpo on a night when he seemingly couldn't miss.
This marked the 10th time this season that Antetokounmpo has scored at least 40 points, matching the career high he set last year for 40point games in a season.
“He made it look easy all night long,” Bucks forward Khris Middleton said. “He's playing efficient. He's playing dominant.
He's playing unstoppable. He's playing like the MVP again. We need that from him every night, and he knows that.”
Antetokounmpo already had 16 points midway through the first quarter. He went 8-of-9 for 18 points in that opening period, nearly matching New Orleans' scoring total while helping the Bucks build a 37-19 advantage.
He finished the night as well as he started it.
Antetokounmpo scored 12 straight Bucks points during a stretch that began with less than four minutes left in the game. Antetokounmpo capped that spurt by making consecutive 3pointers, the last of which put him at the 50-point mark with 1:38 remaining.
“It's one of those moments you can never take for granted because you never know if you're going to have that moment again,” Antetokounmpo said.
Osman’s big night paces Cavs’ rout
Cedi Osman tied his career high with 29 points while making all seven of his shots from behind the arc and the Cleveland Cavaliers built a 40-point lead on their way to a 122-99 rout of the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night.
All-star starter Donovan Mitchell had 11 points in his return for Cleveland after missing three games with a strained groin. The Cavaliers never trailed adn took their largest lead of the season at 82-42 on Jarrett Allen's first 3-pointer since Nov. 5, 2021.
The Clippers had won five in a row. They opted not to dress forward Kawhi Leonard and guards Paul George and Reggie Jackson, all of whom played Saturday in a victory in Atlanta. Officially, George and Leonard were reported as being out because of right knee trouble and Jackson has a sore right Achilles.
Morant dazzles in win over Pacers
Ja Morant had 27 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds, Jaren Jackson Jr. added 28 points and the Memphis Grizzlies overcame a lackluster first half to defeat the Indiana Pacers 112-100 on Sunday.
Brandon Clarke had 13 points, hitting all five of his shots as Memphis snapped a five-game losing streak and ran its home record to 21-3. It was Morant's fifth tripledouble of the season and second in a row.
Benedict Mathurin, the sixth pick in the 2022 draft, led the Pacers with 27 points and eight rebounds. Aaron Nesmith had 16 points.