Giannis Antetokounmpo has scored 20 of his 29 factors within the first quarter, returning to the line-up after a five-game absence to guide the Milwaukee Bucks to a 150-130 win over the Pistons in Detroit.
The two-time MVP was joined by three-time All-Star Khris Middleton, placing the Bucks’ prolific duo in the identical line-up for the primary time in additional than a month.
Antetokounmpo had been out with a sore left knee. Middleton, who hadn’t performed since December 15 as a consequence of a sore proper knee, had eight factors and 4 assists.
Milwaukee scored 49 factors within the first quarter on Monday night time, two shy of the NBA report, and led Detroit by 25 after Antetokounmpo made all six of his pictures in eight-plus minutes.
Antetokounmpo did not sustain his scoring tempo the remainder of the sport, however he did not should with teammates equivalent to Bobby Portis scoring 12 of his 18 factors within the second quarter.
Portis left the court docket with a sore proper knee early within the fourth after grabbing a tenth rebound for his twenty ninth double-double this season.
Brook Lopez scored 21 factors, Jevon Carter had 18, Jrue Holiday 16 and Australia’s Joe Ingles six on 2-of-4 capturing from three-point vary.
Mercifully, the Bucks held the ball and have been known as for a shot-clock violation within the remaining seconds after they have been three factors from matching essentially the most by a NBA crew this season.
Milwaukee (30-17) are third within the Eastern Conference standings, whereas the Pistons (12-37) are backside.
In Florida, Paolo Banchero scored 23 factors, Jonathan Isaac performed within the NBA for the primary time in two-and-a-half years and Orlando broke Boston’s nine-game profitable streak with a 113-98 victory.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 26 factors apiece for the league-leading Celtics (35-13).
Wendell Carter Jr. had 21 factors and 11 rebounds for the Magic (18-29), whereas Cole Anthony got here off the bench with 18 factors, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
Isaac missed 211 video games since tearing his ACL at Walt Disney World on August 2, 2020. He completed with 10 factors, three rebounds and two steals in just below 10 minutes.
Orlando led 55-54 at halftime, then opened up a 13-point lead with the assistance of three-pointers by Isaac and Gary Harris throughout a 15-3 run halfway by way of the third quarter.
It was the Magic’s third straight win over the Celtics after 10 straight losses.
