Antetokounmpo scores 55 career points; Bucks defeat Wizards
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a career-high 55 points in a return from a one-game absence and the Milwaukee Bucks beat Washington 123-113 on Tuesday night, snapping the Wizards’ five-game winning streak.
Antetokounmpo is the first player to score at least 40 in three consecutive games in his career. Antetokounmpo was not available for comment. 118-95 loss to the Wizards Sunday, because of a sore left leg.
Flynn Robinson, February 1969, and Kareem AbdulJabbar, February 1972 were the other Bucks that scored at least 40 in consecutive appearances.
Antetokounmpo also had seven assists and 10 rebounds. This gave him at least 40 points and 10 rebounds, respectively, and five assists in each of his three previous games. Elgin Baylor (1961 and 1963), Wilt Chamberlain (1963) and Russell Westbrook (2016) are the only players to have had three consecutive performances of 40 points and 10 rebounds, five assists, and five assists in NBA history.
Antetokounmpo had a previous career high of a 52-point effort against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 17, 2019.
Antetokounmpo had scored at least 50 point in his second performance since Game 6 in the 2021 NBA Finals. when his 50-point effort gave the Bucks their first title in half a century. Antetokounmpo also received 50 points in a 128-119 victory over the Indiana Pacers Feb. 15, 2022
Washington’s Bradley Beal returned after missing three games with a sore left hamstring, but he played just 13 minutes. Beal scored eight points in the first half before his hamstring injury prevented him from participating in the second.
Kristaps Porzingis scored 22 point for the Wizards. Kyle Kuzma added another 20.
Brook Lopez scored 21 points and had 12 rebounds to help the Bucks. Bobby Portis added 17 points and 13 boards.
Antetokounmpo scored nine in a 170-0 run that started late in the second half. This was the Bucks’ second win in seven games. The Wizards swept them out on Sunday, despite Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday being absent.
After missing three games due to a non-COVID illness, Holiday returned Tuesday and scored six points in just 19 minutes. Middleton missed an eighth straight game with a sore right knee and also won’t play Wednesday at Toronto.
Milwaukee’s 17-0 spurt turned a 49-46 deficit into a 63-49 lead. Washington clawed back and Milwaukee’s advantage to 95-93 on a pair of Daniel Gafford free throws with 10:04 left, but the Wizards never could tie or go back ahead.
TIP-INS
Wizards: Taj Gilison missed his third consecutive game because of a sore left groin. … Gaford scored a double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Rui Hachimura had 12 points, Deniavdija and Kispert each.
Bucks: George Hill was unable to play for Bucks due to a non COVID illness. Portis has now posted four consecutive double-doubles. Grayson Allen continued his slump by shooting 1 of 9 overall points and 1 out of 7 from 3-point range. Allen is currently 9 of 37 for 3-point attempts in his last four matches. Antetokounmpo was 15th out of 16 for free throws.
UP NEXT
Wizards: At Oklahoma City on Friday night.
Bucks: Toronto, Wednesday night.
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