No two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, no worries for Milwaukee within the NBA.
The Bucks had been with out Antetokounmpo (hamstring soreness) for simply the fourth time this season however nonetheless managed to pour in 140 factors as they beat Kevin Durant’s Phoenix Suns.
Damian Lillard stepped up with 31 factors and 16 assists and Bobby Portis had 31 factors and 10 rebounds to guide the hosts to an 11-point victory on Monday (AEDT).
Antetokounmpo has averaged 30.8 factors and 11.2 boards this season however the Bucks regained Khris Middleton, who added 22 factors in his first recreation again after lacking 16 video games with a sprained left ankle.
“I thought it was huge, especially with Giannis being out,” Lillard mentioned of Middleton’s return.
“Any time you’re down your best player and then you add another weapon to a team that’s already down, it’s a pick-me-up just because we’re excited to have him back.”
Milwaukee hit 24 three-pointers, with Portis and Malik Beasley getting 5 apiece, as they boosted their season report to 44-24 for second within the Eastern Conference standings behind the runaway Boston (53-14).
For the Suns, Bradley Beal had 28 factors, Grayson Allen 25 and Devin Booker 23, whereas Durant managed simply 11 factors in his 41 minutes.
In Dallas, Australian Dante Exum contributed eight factors coming off the bench because the Mavericks downed defending champions Denver in a 107-105 thriller.
Kyrie Irving hit a operating left-handed shot on the buzzer, capping a wild ultimate end and giving Dallas (39-29) the victory.
The Nuggets (47-21) had rallied from 13 factors down halfway by the fourth quarter and brought the lead however now slip behind leaders Oklahoma City (47-20) within the race to prime the Western Conference.
In Orlando, Boomers veteran Joe Ingles got here off the bench so as to add 5 factors and two assists because the Magic (40-28) downed the Toronto Raptors 111-96 for his or her eighth win of their final 10 video games.
In different video games, the league-leading Celtics crushed Washington 130-104, Miami downed Detroit 104-101, San Antonio beat Brooklyn 122-115 in time beyond regulation and Atlanta overcame the Los Angeles Clippers 110-93.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
