Bucks squander lead, still dominate Pacers
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 29 points, 12 rebounds and six assists and the Milwaukee Bucks recovered after squandering an early 22-point lead to trounce the Indiana Pacers 119-100 on Wednesday night.
The Bucks bounced back from a 105-89 loss at Miami in which they posted their lowest point total of the season. An NBA-best 53-9, Milwaukee hasn’t lost back-toback games all season.
Indiana had a fourgame winning streak snapped as it fell into a tie with Philadelphia for fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings.
The Pacers were without Victor Oladipo for the second straight game because of a sore right knee. Milwaukee was missing reserve guards George Hill (groin contusion) and Kyle Korver (back soreness).Khris Middleton had 20 points for Milwaukee.
T.J. Warren scored 18 points for Indiana.
HEAT 116, MAGIC 113 >> Duncan Robinson scored 27 points, all of them coming from beyond the arc, and Miami hit a franchise-record 22 3-pointers to beat Orlando.
Goran Dragic scored 25 points and added nine assists, Kelly Olynyk scored 16 on a perfect shooting night and Jimmy Butler finished with 12 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Miami has won four straight. The previous record for Heat 3-pointers was 21, set April 5, 2017, at Charlotte. The 22 3-pointers made also tied the most allowed in a game by Orlando
Terrence Ross scored 35 and hit a season-high eight 3-pointers for the Magic.
CELTICS 112, CAVALIERS 106 >> Jayson Tatum scored 32 points and Boston beat Cleveland in a matchup of short-handed teams.
The Celtics were missing starters Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward, and the Cavaliers played without starters Andre Drumnond and rookie Darius Garland. Cavaliers rookie swingman Kevin Porter Jr. left the game in the first half with a head injury and didn’t return. Cleveland rookie Collin Sexton scored a careerhigh 41 points, making 17 of 29 shots from the field. His previous career high was 32 against Utah.
JAZZ 112, KNICKS 104 >> Donovan Mitchell and Bojan Bogdanovic each scored 23 points and Utah beat New York. Rudy Gobert had 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Jazz. They won their third straight against a team well below .500 from the Eastern Conference.
THUNDER 114, PISTONS 107 >> Danilo Gallinari made a 3-pointer in the final minute and Oklahoma City beat Detroit after blowing a 16-point second-half lead.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 points for Oklahoma City. Christian Wood scored a career-high 29 points for Detroit . GRIZZLIES 118, NETS 79 >> Josh Jackson scored 19 points and Memphis ran away from Brooklyn.us
Jones added 18 points to help Memphis win its third in a row. Ja Morant scored 15 points.
Taurean Prince had 15 points for Brooklyn. TIMBERWOLVES 115, BULLS 108 >> Malik Beasley scored 24 points, D’Angelo Russell added 19 and Minnesota beat Chicago to win both games of a back-toback.Coby White led Chicago with 26 points.