Giannis garners 34 points to flatten Orleans

Giannis garners 34 points to flatten Orleans

Los Angeles, Feb. 5: Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 34 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to lead the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks over the New Orleans Pelicans 120-108 on Tuesday.

Antetokounmpo hit 12of-17 from the floor and 9of-13 free throws while adding six assists, a steal and a blocked shot as the Bucks improved their NBA-best record to 43-7 thanks to a 42-24 scoring edge in the third quarter.

“I had a good game but I could get better,” Antetokounmpo said.

“Closing down the third quarter, we didn’t do a good job. We got slopp,” he added.

The Greek star still feels the sting of losing to Toronto in last year’s Eastern Conference final and failing to lift the Bucks into their first NBA Finals since 1974, three years after Milwaukee won its only title.

That’s why chasing the NBA one-season best record of 73-9 by Golden State is not the Bucks’ major goal.

Brandon Ingram led the host Pelicans with 32 points, while 19-year-old rookie star Zion Williamson had 20 points despite 5-of-19 shooting from the floor with seven rebounds and five assists.

In Los Angeles, the Lakers got 36 points, nine assists and seven rebounds from LeBron James and 18 points from Anthony Davis and Kyle Kuzma as the hosts rolled over the San Antonio Spurs 129-102.

The Lakers improved the best record in the Western Conference to 3811, 3 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Los Angeles Clippers.

James sank five 3-pointers in the first 3 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter to stretch the Lakers’ lead from 87-77 to 108-87 and seal San Antonio’s fate.

“LeBron came out and hit five straight threes in 3 1/2 minutes, he got the lead for us and closed out the game early,” Davis said.

NBA scoring leader James Harden, chasing a third consecutive NBA scoring crown, poured in 40 points, passed off 12 assists and grabbed nine rebounds to power the Houston Rockets over visiting Charlotte 125-110.

— AFP