Giannis back as Bucks beat Hawks
ATLANTA — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 15 points in his return to the Milwaukee lineup and got plenty of help from his teammates as the Bucks cooled off the surging Atlanta Hawks 120-109 on Thursday night.
Antetokounmpo had missed six games with an ailing left knee before getting cleared to return in Atlanta, where he starred in the NBA All-Star Game last month.
He played 25 minutes in his return, hitting seven of 12 shots to go along with five rebounds, three steals, two assists and a block. He didn’t have to carry too much of a load as the Bucks put seven players in double figures, led by Jrue Holiday with 23 points.
Bogdan Bogdanovic led the Hawks with 28 points, hitting six 3-pointers. Trae Young returned after missing two games with a calf injury but had a terrible night, connecting on just three of 17 shots.
The Hawks lost for only the sixth time in 22 games since Nate McMillan took over as interim coach.
WARRIORS 119, CAVS 101
Stephen Curry scored 33 points — topping 30 for a career-best ninth consecutive game — and Golden State pulled away for a victory at Cleveland.
The Warriors absorbed a major hit earlier in the day when rookie center and No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman was ruled out for the remainder of the season after undergoing right knee surgery.
SUNS 122, KINGS 114
Deandre Ayton had 26 points and 11 rebounds, Devin Booker added 23 points, and Phoenix won its 10th straight home game by beating Sacramento.
The Suns improved to 40-15 for the season, hitting 40 wins for the first time since 2014. The Kings have lost nine straight.
CELTICS 121, LAKERS 113
Jaylen Brown scored four of his 40 points in the final minute, and Boston blew most of a 27-point lead in the fourth quarter before holding on to beat host Los Angeles for its fifth straight victory.
Boston led 113-86 with seven minutes left, shortly after coach Brad Stevens sat his starters. But Talen Horton-Tucker and Ben McLemore led a 24-2 run by the Lakers that forced Brown and Boston’s first string back into the game.