Bucks slip by Kings without star Giannis in their lineup
Jrue Holiday scored a season-high 33 points to go with 11 assists and seven rebounds, and the Milwaukee Bucks overcame the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo to beat the Sacramento Kings 129-128 on Saturday night.
Brook Lopez had 26 points and Donte DiVincenzo added 12 points, seven assists and a season-best 14 rebounds for Milwaukee. The Bucks have won three straight following consecutive losses to the Celtics, Knicks and Clippers.
De’Aaron Fox scored 27 points for Sacramento, and Terence Davis had a season-high 27 off the bench. Buddy Hield scored 19 and Tyrese Haliburton added 12
points and 11 assists.
Antetokounmpo was held out because of left knee soreness, one day after the reigning two-time MVP scored 47 points in a 127-109 win over Portland.
Minus their leading scorer, the Bucks led most of the way but needed six points from Holiday in the final 2:23 and a heads-up timeout by Khris Middleton to hold on.
Middleton struggled
with his shot most of the night and was boxed in by two defenders near the baseline near the Kings’ bench late. Just before going out of bounds, Middleton called a timeout. Referees gave it to him as several Sacramento coaches yelled in protest.
Pat Connaughton, who started in place of Antetokounmpo, made two free throws over the final nine seconds to help Milwaukee hang on.
JAZZ 137, MAGIC 91 >> Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points and Utah set an NBA record for 3-pointers
in a half in its win over short-handed Orlando, extending its franchise-best home winning streak to 22. KNICKS 125, PISTONS 81 >> Julius Randle scored 20 of his 29 points in the first quarter, and New York pounded Detroit.
HEAT 115, CAVALIERS 101 >> Duncan Robinson scored 18 points on 6-for-9 shooting on 3-pointers and Miami continued its home dominance over Cleveland. MAVERICKS 109, WIZARDS 87 >> Luka Doncic scored 26 points and Dallas beat Washington.
76ERS 122, TIMBERWOLVES
113 >> Joel Embiid had 24 points and eight rebounds in his return to Philadelphia’s lineup, and Tobias Harris scored 32 to lead the 76ers to a victory over Minnesota.
PACERS 139, SPURS 133 (OT) >> Caris LeVert scored 26 points and short-handed Indiana snapped a threegame losing streak with an overtime victory over San Antonio.
TRAIL BLAZERS 133, THUNDER 85 >> C.J. McCollum scored 20 points to lead eight Trail Blazers in double figures and Portland routed Oklahoma City.