NBA 27 pts, 21 rebs for Antetokounmpo as Bucks diffuse Harden’s Rockets
LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Milwaukee’s NBA Most Valuable Player contender Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 27 points to lead the Bucks to a hardfought 116-109 victory Wednesday over reigning MVP James Harden and the Houston Rockets.
Antetokounmpo added 21 rebounds and was a physical presence on both ends of the floor as the Bucks battled back from a 60-54 halftime deficit to end the Rockets’ 10-game home winning streak.
The Bucks led by as many as 15 in the fourth quarter, but Harden and the Rockets had whittled that lead to three with less than two minutes remaining.
Antetokounmpo, after missing a free throw with 1:39 to play, came out of a timeout and made the second to keep the Bucks ahead by four.
After Harden turned the ball over, than regained it with a steal only to miss a three-pointer, Antetokounmpo made sure the next Bucks possession produced some points as he rose to tap in a miss by Khris Middleton.
Harden, who finished with 42 points and 11 rebounds, missed another three-pointer and the Bucks held on to take their record to 29-11 – percentage points ahead of the 31-12 Toronto Raptors for best record in the league.
In Boston, the Celtics led by as many as many as 31 points in a wireto-wire 135-108 romp over the Indiana Pacers.
In Washington, the Wizards made the most of a return home with a convincing 123-106 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers – a day after the Sixers dominated the Wizards 132-115 in Philly.
The Brooklyn Nets overcame a 19point first-half deficit to beat the Atlanta Hawks 116-100 in New York.
D’Angelo Russell led the Nets with 23 points. DeMarre Carroll added 17 off the bench and starting guard Joe Harris and reserve Spencer Dinwiddie added 16 apiece for Brooklyn, who edged ahead of Miami for the sixth spot in the East.
The New Orleans Pelicans also climbed out of an early hole erasing a 16-point first-half deficit to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 140-124.