The National Basketball Association (NBA) has rescinded Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo's triple-double which he had scored against the Washington Wizards on Sunday night.

The move comes after the NBA adjusted the statistics from the Bucks' win. Antetokounmpo, notably, had said after that game that he stole his rebound which gave him the season's fourth triple-double.

Antetokounmpo, with nine seconds left on the clock, grabbed a defensive rebound and hustled across the court with the ball. At that time, Giannis had nine rebounds, one short of&nbsp;making it a triple-double and he knew it. Further, he got near the rim and almost stopped for a nano-second before intentionally throwing the ball into the bottom of the rim and then caught it. A Rebound!

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On-site statisticians too, credited him with a missed shot and the 10th rebound for that play as the Bucks' star scored his triple-double. "Kind of stole one," Antetokounmpo had said Sunday night after the game. Here's that shot:

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The league has rescinded Giannis Antetokounmpo's 10th rebound last night, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ZachLowe_NBA</a> 
 
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— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1632834662388072448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Well, not anymore. After reviewing the stats from the game, as the league does after each game, it removed the rebound on Monday. As per the NBA rules, for a field goal attempt to count as official, the player has to shoot 'with an intent to score a field goal.'

Nonetheless, Milwaukee won the game 117-111 against the Wizards and Giannis finished the game with 23 points, 13 assists and 9 rebounds. The win also gave the Bucks their 16th consecutive win and the streak was broken Monday against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Sixers, coming from 99-85 deficit in the fourth quarter, beat the Bucks 133-130 in the matchup of Eastern Conference powerhouses. Antetokounmpo score 34 points and 13 rebounds for Milwaukee while Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez both chipped in with 26 points each.

For the Sixers, Joel Embiid scored with 31 points and 10 assists and James Harden top scored with 38 points and 10 assists.

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The National Basketball Association (NBA) has rescinded Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo's triple-double which he had scored against the Washington Wizard on Sunday night.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has rescinded Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo's triple-double which he had scored against the Washington Wizards on Sunday night. The move comes after the NBA adjusted the statistics from the Bucks' win. Antetokounmpo, notably, had said after that game that he stole his rebound which gave him the season's fourth triple-double. Antetokounmpo, with nine seconds left on the clock, grabbed a defensive rebound and hustled across the court with the ball. At that time, Giannis had nine rebounds, one short of making it a triple-double and he knew it. Further, he got near the rim and almost stopped for a nano-second before intentionally throwing the ball into the bottom of the rim and then caught it. A Rebound! Also Read: Ja Morant's Instagram gun video being investigated by Colorado police On-site statisticians too, credited him with a missed shot and the 10th rebound for that play as the Bucks' star scored his triple-double. "Kind of stole one," Antetokounmpo had said Sunday night after the game. Here's that shot: The league has rescinded Giannis Antetokounmpo's 10th rebound last night, per @ZachLowe_NBA pic.twitter.com/MT7WpyhPwe — NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) March 6, 2023 × Well, not anymore. After reviewing the stats from the game, as the league does after each game, it removed the rebound on Monday. As per the NBA rules, for a field goal attempt to count as official, the player has to shoot 'with an intent to score a field goal.' Nonetheless, Milwaukee won the game 117-111 against the Wizards and Giannis finished the game with 23 points, 13 assists and 9 rebounds. The win also gave the Bucks their 16th consecutive win and the streak was broken Monday against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers, coming from 99-85 deficit in the fourth quarter, beat the Bucks 133-130 in the matchup of Eastern Conference powerhouses. Antetokounmpo score 34 points and 13 rebounds for Milwaukee while Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez both chipped in with 26 points each. For the Sixers, Joel Embiid scored with 31 points and 10 assists and James Harden top scored with 38 points and 10 assists. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA: Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo's triple-double against Wizards rescinded

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokunmpo left the game against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday with a sprain in his right wrist. He left the game in the second quarter and did not return as he scored two points, three assists and grabbing seven rebounds in his nine minutes on the court. His assist to Jevon Carter in the first quarter also made him the Bucks' all-time assist leader. The Bucks went on to win the game 112-100. The two-time MVP suffered the injury after running into the stanchion while trying to block a shot from Bulls guard Coby White. He was seen holding his right wrist on the sidelines after leaving the game and eventually went back to the locker room.

Read More:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-all-star-slam-dunk-3-point-and-skills-challenge-details-complete-schedule-line-ups-and-more-562665">NBA: All-Star Slam Dunk, 3-Point and Skills Challenge details, complete schedule, line-ups and more</a>

The injury casts a shadow on his participation in the All-Star weekend where he is due to play in Skills Challenge along side his brothers in the Team Antetokounmpo. He is also scheduled to coach the celebrity All-Star game on Friday before the skill competition on Saturday.

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, however said that Giannis' x-rays on wrist came back negative and the initial reports of the injury were minor. The coach, however, added that he was not sure about Antetokounmpo's participation status in the All-Star Weekend. "We'll just see how he feels tomorrow, see how he feels the next few days and continue to evaluate it," Budenholzer said.

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As the teams end the first half of NBA season with All-Star Weekend scheduled to start on February 17, Bucks go into the break with 12 win on the trot, tying with the Brooklyn Nets for the longest winning streak this season. Talking about Giannis' numbers, the Greek-Freak averages 31 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assist at the halfway mark in 47 games.

Well, All-Star or not, the Bucks would certainly want Antetokounmpo's injury to be not very serious.

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Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokunmpo left the game against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday with a sprain in his right wrist. He left the game in the second quarter and did not return as he scored two points, three assists and grabbing seven rebounds in his nine minutes on the court.

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokunmpo left the game against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday with a sprain in his right wrist. He left the game in the second quarter and did not return as he scored two points, three assists and grabbing seven rebounds in his nine minutes on the court. His assist to Jevon Carter in the first quarter also made him the Bucks' all-time assist leader. The Bucks went on to win the game 112-100. The two-time MVP suffered the injury after running into the stanchion while trying to block a shot from Bulls guard Coby White. He was seen holding his right wrist on the sidelines after leaving the game and eventually went back to the locker room. Read More: NBA: All-Star Slam Dunk, 3-Point and Skills Challenge details, complete schedule, line-ups and more The injury casts a shadow on his participation in the All-Star weekend where he is due to play in Skills Challenge along side his brothers in the Team Antetokounmpo. He is also scheduled to coach the celebrity All-Star game on Friday before the skill competition on Saturday. Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, however said that Giannis' x-rays on wrist came back negative and the initial reports of the injury were minor. The coach, however, added that he was not sure about Antetokounmpo's participation status in the All-Star Weekend. "We'll just see how he feels tomorrow, see how he feels the next few days and continue to evaluate it," Budenholzer said. Also Read: Premier League: Multiple bidders from Middle East interested in buying Manchester United As the teams end the first half of NBA season with All-Star Weekend scheduled to start on February 17, Bucks go into the break with 12 win on the trot, tying with the Brooklyn Nets for the longest winning streak this season. Talking about Giannis' numbers, the Greek-Freak averages 31 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assist at the halfway mark in 47 games. Well, All-Star or not, the Bucks would certainly want Antetokounmpo's injury to be not very serious. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA: Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo sprains wrist vs. Bulls, All-Star Weekend participation under doubt

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 50 points in an astonishing all-around execution and the Milwaukee Bucks won their first NBA title since 1971 by crushing the Phoenix Suns 105-98.

The Bucks won the best-of-seven NBA Finals by four games to two, turning out to be just the fifth team to guarantee the crown subsequent to dropping the initial two contests.

Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes the seventh player in finals history with a 50-point game, added 14 rebounds and five obstructed shots as the Bucks went an NBA-best 10-1 at home at the end of the season games to end their 50-year title drought.

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"I want to thank Milwaukee for believing in me. I want to thank my teammates for playing hard with me. I'm thankful I was able to get it done," Giannis Antetokounmpo said.

NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo had been sketchy for the opener with a sprained knee. However, the 26-year-old coordinated with Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the solitary players to take the NBA Finals MVP and NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in the same season.

"He's a special human being. I've learned so much from him. He's a special leader. These players are champions every day. They've embraced getting better every day," said Mike Budenholzer.

An extended Deer District party zone outside the sold-out 20,000-seat field invited 65,000 people watching on video screens and they celebrated together.

"I'm happy I was able to do it with this team for Milwaukee and Coach Bud says we have to do it again," said Antetokounmpo.

The Suns were thwarted in their bid for the first crown in their 53-year history. Chris Paul, playing in the first NBA Finals of his 16-year at age 36, drove the Suns with 26 points.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 50 points in an astonishing all-around execution and the Milwaukee Bucks won their first NBA title since 1971 by crushing the Phoenix Suns 105-98.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 50 points in an astonishing all-around execution and the Milwaukee Bucks won their first NBA title since 1971 by crushing the Phoenix Suns 105-98. The Bucks won the best-of-seven NBA Finals by four games to two, turning out to be just the fifth team to guarantee the crown subsequent to dropping the initial two contests. Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes the seventh player in finals history with a 50-point game, added 14 rebounds and five obstructed shots as the Bucks went an NBA-best 10-1 at home at the end of the season games to end their 50-year title drought. ALSO READ: Tokyo Olympics sports start with a softball game, Japan routs Australia 8-1 "I want to thank Milwaukee for believing in me. I want to thank my teammates for playing hard with me. I'm thankful I was able to get it done," Giannis Antetokounmpo said. NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo had been sketchy for the opener with a sprained knee. However, the 26-year-old coordinated with Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the solitary players to take the NBA Finals MVP and NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in the same season. "He's a special human being. I've learned so much from him. He's a special leader. These players are champions every day. They've embraced getting better every day," said Mike Budenholzer. An extended Deer District party zone outside the sold-out 20,000-seat field invited 65,000 people watching on video screens and they celebrated together. "I'm happy I was able to do it with this team for Milwaukee and Coach Bud says we have to do it again," said Antetokounmpo. The Suns were thwarted in their bid for the first crown in their 53-year history. Chris Paul, playing in the first NBA Finals of his 16-year at age 36, drove the Suns with 26 points.

NBA Finals: Giannis Antetokounmpo's 50 power Milwaukee Bucks to end 50-year title drought

In what was yet another fitting game for a Finals series, the stars from Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns descended on the floor in Phoenix for Game 5 on Saturday night. But Devin Booker’s 40-point game wasn’t enough as the Suns were handed a 123-119 loss by Bucks, and the series tipped in favour of Bucks 3-2.

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In what was a roller-coaster of a game, the Suns took a 16-point lead in the first quarter to eventually see the Bucks erase that and take lead going into halftime. Bucks outscored Suns in the middle two quarters 79-53, effectively handing a 10-point cushion to the visitors going into the last.

The headliner of the game though came only with 17 seconds left. Suns were down by a point with the game online. Jrue Holiday stripped the in-form Booker to toss the ball for Giannis Antetokounmpo to finish a highlight-reel-worthy alley-oop.

This was the first time this postseason that the Suns did not win after leading by double digits. They were 13-0 prior to Game 5. Booker also got his name up against a tough stat to live with; becoming the first player in Finals history to lose back-to-back games despite scoring 40+ points in both games. Chris Paul (21 pts) and Deandre Ayton (20 pts) combine couldn’t help the Suns cross the line.

The Bucks’ Big 3 got together when it mattered the most. Giannis Antetokounmpo (32 pts), Khris Middleton (29 pts), and Jrue Holiday (27 pts) combined for 88 points becoming the fifth trio in NBA Finals history to each score 25 points on 50 per cent shooting.

Antetokounmpo was happy with the team effort that handed them the crucial home-court advantage going into Game 6. “We kept our composure down 16 and we kept fighting,” said Antetokounmpo. “This is the NBA Finals, so you got to give everything you got and that’s what the team did tonight.”

Booker was stoic while talking about the 16-point lead that the Suns gave away. “We came out and did what we intended to do, get off to a great start, and we let it go,” said Booker. “They stayed resilient and they kept playing through. Tough loss for us.”

The series moves back to the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee for Game 6. But going by the last two games that have been decided by six points or less, it would be interesting how Suns respond to the pressure of having to win the remaining games to win the championship. Bucks would look the end bring their first title in 50 years on Wednesday.

<h6>Watch the Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday at 6:30 AM on Disney+Hotstar, Star Sports Selects, and NBA League Pass</h6>

In what was yet another fitting game for a Finals series, the stars from Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns descended on the floor in Phoenix for Game 5 on Saturday night.

In what was yet another fitting game for a Finals series, the stars from Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns descended on the floor in Phoenix for Game 5 on Saturday night. But Devin Booker’s 40-point game wasn’t enough as the Suns were handed a 123-119 loss by Bucks, and the series tipped in favour of Bucks 3-2. ALSO READ: US basketball star Bradley Beal might miss Tokyo Olympics as he enters Covid safety protocols In what was a roller-coaster of a game, the Suns took a 16-point lead in the first quarter to eventually see the Bucks erase that and take lead going into halftime. Bucks outscored Suns in the middle two quarters 79-53, effectively handing a 10-point cushion to the visitors going into the last. The headliner of the game though came only with 17 seconds left. Suns were down by a point with the game online. Jrue Holiday stripped the in-form Booker to toss the ball for Giannis Antetokounmpo to finish a highlight-reel-worthy alley-oop. This was the first time this postseason that the Suns did not win after leading by double digits. They were 13-0 prior to Game 5. Booker also got his name up against a tough stat to live with; becoming the first player in Finals history to lose back-to-back games despite scoring 40+ points in both games. Chris Paul (21 pts) and Deandre Ayton (20 pts) combine couldn’t help the Suns cross the line. The Bucks’ Big 3 got together when it mattered the most. Giannis Antetokounmpo (32 pts), Khris Middleton (29 pts), and Jrue Holiday (27 pts) combined for 88 points becoming the fifth trio in NBA Finals history to each score 25 points on 50 per cent shooting. Antetokounmpo was happy with the team effort that handed them the crucial home-court advantage going into Game 6. “We kept our composure down 16 and we kept fighting,” said Antetokounmpo. “This is the NBA Finals, so you got to give everything you got and that’s what the team did tonight.” Booker was stoic while talking about the 16-point lead that the Suns gave away. “We came out and did what we intended to do, get off to a great start, and we let it go,” said Booker. “They stayed resilient and they kept playing through. Tough loss for us.” The series moves back to the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee for Game 6. But going by the last two games that have been decided by six points or less, it would be interesting how Suns respond to the pressure of having to win the remaining games to win the championship. Bucks would look the end bring their first title in 50 years on Wednesday. Watch the Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday at 6:30 AM on Disney+Hotstar, Star Sports Selects, and NBA League Pass

NBA Finals: Milwaukee Bucks outlast Phoenix Suns in Game 5 thriller to take a 3-2 lead

“It’s not over until it’s over”, said the former NBA All-Star Baron Davis after the Phoenix Suns took Game 2 of the NBA Finals with a 118-108 win over the Milwaukee Bucks at the Phoenix Suns Arena on Thursday night. Devin Booker led the way with a 31-point performance, while young forward Mikal Bridges put up a postseason-high 27 points.

Booker certainly echoed the sentiment shared by Baron Davis after the game. “It’s a 0-0 mindset for us going into Game 3,” Booker said. “It’s a Game 7 for us. Every game is a Game 7 at this point of the season. We’re locked in.”

All the starters for the Suns scored double digits, with Booker and Bridges leading the way. Chris Paul added 23 points, Jae Crowder 11 and DeAndre Ayton had 10. Game 2's highlight reel was owned by the Suns through a 12-pass possession that ended with Ayton closing it with a layup and getting a foul late in the second quarter. The Bucks’ defensive rotation was tight on that play but the passing from the Suns involving every player touching the ball twice at least was a masterclass in ball movement.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had an impressive night with 42 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and three blocks. Antetokounmpo (20 points in the 3rd quarter of Game 2) became the 4th player to score 20+ points in an NBA Finals quarter over the last 50 seasons. The other three being Michael Jordan (1993 Finals), Isiah Thomas (1988 &amp; 1990 Finals) and Joe Dumars (1989 Finals).

However, the monster-night wasn’t enough as the Bucks fell to a 0-2 deficit in the series. Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday went 12-of-37 in the game when Antetokounmpo got 15 on 22. However, coach Budenholzer appreciated the defensive value that Middleton and Holiday bring regardless of their offensive performance.

“You always give credit to the defense,” Budenholzer said. “Those guys do a good job. There’s probably a few looks that they’ve got to go in, and I think they just keep working and they’ll be good.”

Only four teams in NBA history have lost an NBA Finals series after being up 2-0. The Suns will want to avoid becoming the fifth team on this list. As the series moves to Milwaukee, Bucks will look to repeat their Eastern Conference semifinals performance when they were down 0-2 on the road and then went on to win the series against Brooklyn Nets. Game 3 at the Fiserv Forum on Sunday night (Monday morning IST) could just be the start of that. 
&nbsp; 
Game 3 of the NBA Finals will be broadcast live on Star Sports Select and streamed on Disney+Hotstar and NBA League Pass on July 12 at 5:30 AM

“It’s not over until it’s over”, said the former NBA All-Star Baron Davis after the Phoenix Suns took Game 2 of the NBA Finals with a 118-108 win over the Milwaukee Bucks at the Phoenix Suns Arena on Thursday night.

“It’s not over until it’s over”, said the former NBA All-Star Baron Davis after the Phoenix Suns took Game 2 of the NBA Finals with a 118-108 win over the Milwaukee Bucks at the Phoenix Suns Arena on Thursday night. Devin Booker led the way with a 31-point performance, while young forward Mikal Bridges put up a postseason-high 27 points. Booker certainly echoed the sentiment shared by Baron Davis after the game. “It’s a 0-0 mindset for us going into Game 3,” Booker said. “It’s a Game 7 for us. Every game is a Game 7 at this point of the season. We’re locked in.” All the starters for the Suns scored double digits, with Booker and Bridges leading the way. Chris Paul added 23 points, Jae Crowder 11 and DeAndre Ayton had 10. Game 2's highlight reel was owned by the Suns through a 12-pass possession that ended with Ayton closing it with a layup and getting a foul late in the second quarter. The Bucks’ defensive rotation was tight on that play but the passing from the Suns involving every player touching the ball twice at least was a masterclass in ball movement. Giannis Antetokounmpo had an impressive night with 42 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and three blocks. Antetokounmpo (20 points in the 3rd quarter of Game 2) became the 4th player to score 20+ points in an NBA Finals quarter over the last 50 seasons. The other three being Michael Jordan (1993 Finals), Isiah Thomas (1988 & 1990 Finals) and Joe Dumars (1989 Finals). However, the monster-night wasn’t enough as the Bucks fell to a 0-2 deficit in the series. Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday went 12-of-37 in the game when Antetokounmpo got 15 on 22. However, coach Budenholzer appreciated the defensive value that Middleton and Holiday bring regardless of their offensive performance. “You always give credit to the defense,” Budenholzer said. “Those guys do a good job. There’s probably a few looks that they’ve got to go in, and I think they just keep working and they’ll be good.” Only four teams in NBA history have lost an NBA Finals series after being up 2-0. The Suns will want to avoid becoming the fifth team on this list. As the series moves to Milwaukee, Bucks will look to repeat their Eastern Conference semifinals performance when they were down 0-2 on the road and then went on to win the series against Brooklyn Nets. Game 3 at the Fiserv Forum on Sunday night (Monday morning IST) could just be the start of that. Game 3 of the NBA Finals will be broadcast live on Star Sports Select and streamed on Disney+Hotstar and NBA League Pass on July 12 at 5:30 AM

Phoenix Suns beat Milwaukee Bucks to take a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals

Devin Booker scored 31 points and Chris Paul added 23 on Thursday to spark Phoenix over Milwaukee 118-108 and give the Suns a commanding lead in the NBA Finals.

Phoenix's Mikal Bridges scored a playoff career-high&nbsp;27 points for the Suns, who seized a 2-0 edge in the best-of-seven series, which shifts to Milwaukee for games three and four on Sunday and Wednesday.

"It's a 0-0 mindset for us," Booker said. "It's a game-seven mentality for us. Every game is a game seven for us. It gets rowdy up there but we'll be ready for it."

Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 42 points and added 12 rebounds, but the Bucks could not offer the 26-year-old Greek forward enough support as they went down 0-2, the same deficit they overcame to beat Brooklyn in the second round.

"We've just got to keep staying aggressive," Antetokounmpo said. "We've been here before. We know what the deal is. We've got to enjoy the game. It's hard when we're losing but we're going to figure it out."

The Suns seek their first NBA crown while the Bucks are trying to capture their first title in 50 years.

"We've got to just keep making it tough on them," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "We've got to look at the film and keep working to get better against this group."

Booker delivered his eighth 30-point game of the playoffs while Paul, in his first NBA Finals at age 36, added eight assists&nbsp;

Bahamas big man Deandre Ayton added 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Suns while Jae Crowder had 11 points and 10 rebounds for Phoenix, but the surprise effort came from Bridges, who hit 8-of-15 from the floor and 8-of-8 from the free throw line.

"We need that," Booker said. "It takes a lot of pressure off everybody once we get it going on the offensive end."

Phoenix outscored Milwaukee 15-4 over the final 4:40 of the second quarter to seize a 56-45 half-time lead.

The Suns, without a prior playoff loss after seizing a 10-point lead, let the Bucks shoot only 35.8% in the first half.

Antetokounmpo scored 20 points in the third quarter, the most by any player in an NBA Finals quarter in 25 years, but the Suns still led 88-78 entering the fourth quarter.

The Bucks closed within 93-88, but an Ayton layup and back-to-back 3-pointers by Booker gave the Suns a 101-88 edge with 7:18 remaining.

Milwaukee answered with a 7-0 run, Jrue Holiday scoring five of his 17 in the spurt to pull the Bucks within 103-97 with 5:15 to play.

Paul responded with a 3-pointer and assisted on a Bridges' layup, boosting the Suns' lead to 108-97, and the Bucks came no closer than eight points after that.

"We had a 10-point lead and we just wanted to hold that," Booker said. "We knew they would come out desperate. We defended well and made some shots at the end."

That lifted the Suns, who went 20-of-40 from 3-point range, two wins from their first title, but they aren't thinking that way.

"We have to approach every game with a level of desperation," Suns coach Monty Williams said. "We can't look at the series numbers. Our mentality is play every game as if we're coming off a loss."

The Suns lost swingman Torrey Craig to a right leg injury at the end of the third quarter just a day after losing Croatian forward Dario Saric with a torn right knee ligament.

Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo, who missed two games with a hyperextended left knee before returning in the opener, scared the Bucks when he fell to the court in the second and third quarters but he rose and continued each time.

"Just a cramp," he said. "I don't think it was connected to my knee."

The Bucks, who surrendered 25 points at the free throw line in the opener, went almost 16 minutes before being whistled for their first foul.

Milwaukee drove inside repeatedly, outscoring the Suns 20-0 in the paint, while Phoenix went 8-of-14 from 3-point range in a first quarter that ended with the Bucks up 29-26. The Suns matched their first-game total of 11 3-pointers by halftime.

Devin Booker scored 31 points and Chris Paul added 23 on Thursday to spark Phoenix over Milwaukee 118-108 and give the Suns a commanding lead in the NBA Finals. Phoenix's Mikal Bridges scored a playoff career-high 27 points for the Suns, who seized a 2-0 edge in the best-of-seven series, which shifts to Milwaukee for games three and four on Sunday and Wednesday.

Devin Booker scored 31 points and Chris Paul added 23 on Thursday to spark Phoenix over Milwaukee 118-108 and give the Suns a commanding lead in the NBA Finals. Phoenix's Mikal Bridges scored a playoff career-high 27 points for the Suns, who seized a 2-0 edge in the best-of-seven series, which shifts to Milwaukee for games three and four on Sunday and Wednesday. "It's a 0-0 mindset for us," Booker said. "It's a game-seven mentality for us. Every game is a game seven for us. It gets rowdy up there but we'll be ready for it." Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 42 points and added 12 rebounds, but the Bucks could not offer the 26-year-old Greek forward enough support as they went down 0-2, the same deficit they overcame to beat Brooklyn in the second round. "We've just got to keep staying aggressive," Antetokounmpo said. "We've been here before. We know what the deal is. We've got to enjoy the game. It's hard when we're losing but we're going to figure it out." The Suns seek their first NBA crown while the Bucks are trying to capture their first title in 50 years. "We've got to just keep making it tough on them," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "We've got to look at the film and keep working to get better against this group." Booker delivered his eighth 30-point game of the playoffs while Paul, in his first NBA Finals at age 36, added eight assists Bahamas big man Deandre Ayton added 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Suns while Jae Crowder had 11 points and 10 rebounds for Phoenix, but the surprise effort came from Bridges, who hit 8-of-15 from the floor and 8-of-8 from the free throw line. "We need that," Booker said. "It takes a lot of pressure off everybody once we get it going on the offensive end." Phoenix outscored Milwaukee 15-4 over the final 4:40 of the second quarter to seize a 56-45 half-time lead. The Suns, without a prior playoff loss after seizing a 10-point lead, let the Bucks shoot only 35.8% in the first half. Antetokounmpo scored 20 points in the third quarter, the most by any player in an NBA Finals quarter in 25 years, but the Suns still led 88-78 entering the fourth quarter. The Bucks closed within 93-88, but an Ayton layup and back-to-back 3-pointers by Booker gave the Suns a 101-88 edge with 7:18 remaining. Milwaukee answered with a 7-0 run, Jrue Holiday scoring five of his 17 in the spurt to pull the Bucks within 103-97 with 5:15 to play. Paul responded with a 3-pointer and assisted on a Bridges' layup, boosting the Suns' lead to 108-97, and the Bucks came no closer than eight points after that. "We had a 10-point lead and we just wanted to hold that," Booker said. "We knew they would come out desperate. We defended well and made some shots at the end." That lifted the Suns, who went 20-of-40 from 3-point range, two wins from their first title, but they aren't thinking that way. "We have to approach every game with a level of desperation," Suns coach Monty Williams said. "We can't look at the series numbers. Our mentality is play every game as if we're coming off a loss." The Suns lost swingman Torrey Craig to a right leg injury at the end of the third quarter just a day after losing Croatian forward Dario Saric with a torn right knee ligament. Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo, who missed two games with a hyperextended left knee before returning in the opener, scared the Bucks when he fell to the court in the second and third quarters but he rose and continued each time. "Just a cramp," he said. "I don't think it was connected to my knee." The Bucks, who surrendered 25 points at the free throw line in the opener, went almost 16 minutes before being whistled for their first foul. Milwaukee drove inside repeatedly, outscoring the Suns 20-0 in the paint, while Phoenix went 8-of-14 from 3-point range in a first quarter that ended with the Bucks up 29-26. The Suns matched their first-game total of 11 3-pointers by halftime.

Phoenix Suns beat Milwaukee Bucks to seize 2-0 lead in NBA Finals

Chris Paul made his debut in the NBA Finals with Phoenix Suns, Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the Milwaukee Bucks line-up, but the series that is rewriting history with every game has just started with Suns taking a 1-0 lead. Game 2 of the NBA Finals will definitely set the tone.

If the Suns make it two at home, the Bucks will have their backs against the wall at home in Game 3. If Bucks take one on the road, they will go to Fiserv Forum with a home-court advantage. But losing Game 1 is not a situation Bucks haven’t been in. They lost Game 1 of their last two series against the Brooklyn Nets and the Atlanta Hawks as well.

For Bucks, the return of Antetokounmpo didn’t bring in the desired result but the Greek star was on the floor for over 35 minutes doing everything he could, including a highlight-worthy block on Mikal Bridges. “Going to Game 2, hopefully I can feel more comfortable, more confident to go downhill, to make more plays,” Antetokounmpo said.

Paul, who starred in Game 1 with 32 points and nine assists, knows the Bucks will come back with a better game plan but said the Suns are prepared for everything that comes their way. “If they going to trap, they trap. They switch, they switch. But whatever it may be, all season long we have adjusted and prepared for whatever a team has thrown us,” said the 16-season veteran.

But both sides have time and again proved that they are a team more than an alpha-led outfit. “We have a real team, Paul said. “Like a team where you can’t just key on one guy or two guys.” Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton both have formed the trident with Paul that Suns have got their opponents on the back foot with. Booker added 27 points and six assists, and Ayton finished with 22 points and 19 rebounds in Game 1.

The Bucks too have players that have made themselves count when it mattered leading to the summit clash. Jrue Holiday is one of the best defensive guards and will put behind his 10-point performance in Game 1. Khris Middleton will also be expected to come out stronger if the Bucks hope to make a series out of this.

“We’ve got to be better defensively. We’ve got to keep them off the free throw line and we got to be more aggressive attacking and getting to the free throw line and getting to good offense,” said Mike Budenholzer admitting that it was frustrating to see Suns hitting a remarkable 25-for-26 from the free-throw line in Game 1.

<h6> 
Game 2 of the NBA Finals will be broadcast live on Star Sports Select and streamed on Disney+Hotstar and NBA League Pass at 6:30 AM</h6>

Chris Paul made his debut in the NBA Finals with Phoenix Suns, Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the Milwaukee Bucks line-up, but the series that is rewriting history with every game has just started with Suns taking a 1-0 lead.

Chris Paul made his debut in the NBA Finals with Phoenix Suns, Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the Milwaukee Bucks line-up, but the series that is rewriting history with every game has just started with Suns taking a 1-0 lead. Game 2 of the NBA Finals will definitely set the tone. If the Suns make it two at home, the Bucks will have their backs against the wall at home in Game 3. If Bucks take one on the road, they will go to Fiserv Forum with a home-court advantage. But losing Game 1 is not a situation Bucks haven’t been in. They lost Game 1 of their last two series against the Brooklyn Nets and the Atlanta Hawks as well. For Bucks, the return of Antetokounmpo didn’t bring in the desired result but the Greek star was on the floor for over 35 minutes doing everything he could, including a highlight-worthy block on Mikal Bridges. “Going to Game 2, hopefully I can feel more comfortable, more confident to go downhill, to make more plays,” Antetokounmpo said. Paul, who starred in Game 1 with 32 points and nine assists, knows the Bucks will come back with a better game plan but said the Suns are prepared for everything that comes their way. “If they going to trap, they trap. They switch, they switch. But whatever it may be, all season long we have adjusted and prepared for whatever a team has thrown us,” said the 16-season veteran. But both sides have time and again proved that they are a team more than an alpha-led outfit. “We have a real team, Paul said. “Like a team where you can’t just key on one guy or two guys.” Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton both have formed the trident with Paul that Suns have got their opponents on the back foot with. Booker added 27 points and six assists, and Ayton finished with 22 points and 19 rebounds in Game 1. The Bucks too have players that have made themselves count when it mattered leading to the summit clash. Jrue Holiday is one of the best defensive guards and will put behind his 10-point performance in Game 1. Khris Middleton will also be expected to come out stronger if the Bucks hope to make a series out of this. “We’ve got to be better defensively. We’ve got to keep them off the free throw line and we got to be more aggressive attacking and getting to the free throw line and getting to good offense,” said Mike Budenholzer admitting that it was frustrating to see Suns hitting a remarkable 25-for-26 from the free-throw line in Game 1. Game 2 of the NBA Finals will be broadcast live on Star Sports Select and streamed on Disney+Hotstar and NBA League Pass at 6:30 AM

NBA Finals Preview: Suns look to continue; Bucks eye a start

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">The Phoenix Suns marked their return to the NBA Finals with a 118-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1. Making his NBA Finals debut in his 16th&nbsp;season, Chris Paul got 32 points, 16 of which came in the third quarter. Paul became the first player since Michael Jordan to have 30 points and eight assists in a Finals debut.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">&nbsp;

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">“I was just so locked into the game, trying to stay in the moment,” Paul said. “It’s exciting but it’s just one win. I’m focused on the task at hand.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">&nbsp;

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton too went around with business as usual. Booker registered 27 points while Ayton became the first player since Tim Duncan in 1999 to have more than 15 points and 15 rebounds in a Finals debut, blitzing that by having 22 points on 80% shooting with 19 rebounds.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">&nbsp;

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">However, Booker couldn’t help but sing the praises of Paul after the game. “He’s the greatest leader to play this game. There’s no scouting report that says Chris Paul can’t get a bucket.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">&nbsp;

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Outside Paul, there were five other Suns that scored in the double digits, including Ayton and Booker, along with Mikal Bridges (14), Cameron Johnson (10), and Cameron Payne (10). In the first NBA Finals game in Phoenix since Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls won their third straight championship here in Game 6, Suns dominated the proceedings from 3:37 mark of the first quarter and never trailed since then.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">&nbsp;

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">While the Bucks were buoyed with the return of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, they fell short in the game even as the Greek registered 20 points, 17 rebounds, and a game-highlight block on Jae Crowder.&nbsp;Khris Middleton’s team-high 29 points, Brook Lopez’s 17 and Jrue Holiday’s 9 assists in addition to 10 points weren’t good enough for Bucks.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">&nbsp;

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">“We know it’s going to be tough,” Middleton said. “There’s times where we’re going to be down in this series. But this series isn’t over.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">&nbsp;

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Catch Game 2 of the&nbsp;NBA Finals 2021 on 9th&nbsp;July at 6:30 AM IST on Star Sports Select, NBA League Pass, and Disney+ Hotstar

The Phoenix Suns marked their return to the NBA Finals with a 118-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1. Making his NBA Finals debut in his 16th season, Chris Paul got 32 points, 16 of which came in the third quarter.

The Phoenix Suns marked their return to the NBA Finals with a 118-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1. Making his NBA Finals debut in his 16th season, Chris Paul got 32 points, 16 of which came in the third quarter. Paul became the first player since Michael Jordan to have 30 points and eight assists in a Finals debut. “I was just so locked into the game, trying to stay in the moment,” Paul said. “It’s exciting but it’s just one win. I’m focused on the task at hand.” Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton too went around with business as usual. Booker registered 27 points while Ayton became the first player since Tim Duncan in 1999 to have more than 15 points and 15 rebounds in a Finals debut, blitzing that by having 22 points on 80% shooting with 19 rebounds. However, Booker couldn’t help but sing the praises of Paul after the game. “He’s the greatest leader to play this game. There’s no scouting report that says Chris Paul can’t get a bucket.” Outside Paul, there were five other Suns that scored in the double digits, including Ayton and Booker, along with Mikal Bridges (14), Cameron Johnson (10), and Cameron Payne (10). In the first NBA Finals game in Phoenix since Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls won their third straight championship here in Game 6, Suns dominated the proceedings from 3:37 mark of the first quarter and never trailed since then. While the Bucks were buoyed with the return of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, they fell short in the game even as the Greek registered 20 points, 17 rebounds, and a game-highlight block on Jae Crowder. Khris Middleton’s team-high 29 points, Brook Lopez’s 17 and Jrue Holiday’s 9 assists in addition to 10 points weren’t good enough for Bucks. “We know it’s going to be tough,” Middleton said. “There’s times where we’re going to be down in this series. But this series isn’t over.” Catch Game 2 of the NBA Finals 2021 on 9th July at 6:30 AM IST on Star Sports Select, NBA League Pass, and Disney+ Hotstar

NBA Finals: Chris Paul leads Suns to Game 1 win over Milwaukee Bucks

It didn’t matter that Giannis Antetokounmpo was not playing and it didn’t matter they were on the road. The Milwaukee Bucks just proved that nothing could stop their pursuit to win Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night (Sunday morning IST). At the back of a 118-107 win, the Bucks entered the NBA Finals for the first time in 47 years. History, indeed, in the making.

Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday combined for 59 points, exactly half of the Bucks’ total, as expected. Middleton finished with a game-high 32 points, 23 of which came in the 3rd quarter that eventually proved to be the difference. Holiday added 27 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.

“Just want to win,” Middleton said of his third-quarter play that included 16 points in less than four minutes. “That’s all it is. I don’t care how many points I have. Stats go out the window. Even though I had a great third quarter, I told Jrue (Holiday) I was struggling.”

At half-time, Hawks were trailing by just four points and they opened the second half with a bucket to make it 47-45. At that point, Middleton had more turnovers (6) than points (5). But the two-time All-Star scored 16 straight points and then started a chain of passes to Holiday that put the Bucks up 91-72 at the third quarter.

“Khris caught a streak there in the third quarter, and particularly coming out to start it,” Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said.&nbsp;“So, I think that was the turning point in the game. We were only up four but then to kind of weather a lot of turnovers in the second quarter and still be up four was I think just an indicator of good defense.”

Star of Game 5, Brook Lopez had 13 points, Pat Connaughton 13 points and Bobby Portis 12.

Returning after almost a week, Trae Young didn’t have enough to keep the series alive for the Hawks. Shooting 4-of-17 from the field, the Hawks’ cornerstone finished with 14 points and nine assists. Cam Reddish was the only Hawks player with a hot hand scoring 21 points on 6-of-7 from 3-point shooting while the rest of the team could only manage 6-of-26.

Despite a disappointing finish, the Hawks branded themselves as a future force. The undeterred Young in the post-game conference said, “This is the beginning. We've accomplished so much this year, but we all understand that this is just the beginning.”

Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Bucks and the Phoenix Suns tips of Tuesday night (Wednesday morning IST) at Phoenix.

It didn’t matter that Giannis Antetokounmpo was not playing and it didn’t matter they were on the road. The Milwaukee Bucks just proved that nothing could stop their pursuit to win Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night (Sunday morning IST).

It didn’t matter that Giannis Antetokounmpo was not playing and it didn’t matter they were on the road. The Milwaukee Bucks just proved that nothing could stop their pursuit to win Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night (Sunday morning IST). At the back of a 118-107 win, the Bucks entered the NBA Finals for the first time in 47 years. History, indeed, in the making. Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday combined for 59 points, exactly half of the Bucks’ total, as expected. Middleton finished with a game-high 32 points, 23 of which came in the 3rd quarter that eventually proved to be the difference. Holiday added 27 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. “Just want to win,” Middleton said of his third-quarter play that included 16 points in less than four minutes. “That’s all it is. I don’t care how many points I have. Stats go out the window. Even though I had a great third quarter, I told Jrue (Holiday) I was struggling.” At half-time, Hawks were trailing by just four points and they opened the second half with a bucket to make it 47-45. At that point, Middleton had more turnovers (6) than points (5). But the two-time All-Star scored 16 straight points and then started a chain of passes to Holiday that put the Bucks up 91-72 at the third quarter. “Khris caught a streak there in the third quarter, and particularly coming out to start it,” Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said. “So, I think that was the turning point in the game. We were only up four but then to kind of weather a lot of turnovers in the second quarter and still be up four was I think just an indicator of good defense.” Star of Game 5, Brook Lopez had 13 points, Pat Connaughton 13 points and Bobby Portis 12. Returning after almost a week, Trae Young didn’t have enough to keep the series alive for the Hawks. Shooting 4-of-17 from the field, the Hawks’ cornerstone finished with 14 points and nine assists. Cam Reddish was the only Hawks player with a hot hand scoring 21 points on 6-of-7 from 3-point shooting while the rest of the team could only manage 6-of-26. Despite a disappointing finish, the Hawks branded themselves as a future force. The undeterred Young in the post-game conference said, “This is the beginning. We've accomplished so much this year, but we all understand that this is just the beginning.” Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Bucks and the Phoenix Suns tips of Tuesday night (Wednesday morning IST) at Phoenix.

Milwaukee Bucks advance to the first NBA Finals since 1974

By winning Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday night, Milwaukee Bucks are closer than Atlanta Hawks to the NBA Finals. Going into Game 6 on Saturday night (Sunday morning IST), the momentum has slightly shifted in favour of the Bucks that found a roster capable of lifting the heavyweight of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence.

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After losing Game 5, Hawks coach Nate McMillan as a matter-of-fact stated Game 6 is do-or-die. But Hawks aren’t strangers to such situations. Game 4 of this series was win-or-go-home in some ways as Hawks were down 2-1, and a loss would mean 3-1 deficit with Game 5 in Milwaukee. And Trae Young was out too. But Hawks soared in Game 4 and how.

The last two games exhibited the prowess of the supporting cast in both teams that missed its star players. The Bucks had four of the five starters scoring 22+ points in their convincing win in Game 5 while the Hawks found Lou Williams, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Clint Capela, and Kevin Huerter contributing to the Game 4 blowout of Bucks.

There is still no update whether Young and Antetokounmpo will step on the hardwood in Game 6. But don’t be surprised if they make the cut as Hawks will need Young’s playmaking skills to stay alive while Bucks will want their Greek superstar to close the deal.

Hawks’ top-scorer in the last game Bogdan Bogdanovic spelled out improvements his team needed going into Game 6. “We have to start better, execution offensively, and game plan and defence. Obviously, turnovers, control the game better, control the ball,” explained Bogdanovic. “Better one-on-one defence, better rotations defensively and box out.”

Brook Lopez, who had a career playoff game, didn’t want to think about being one game away from the NBA Finals. “It's exciting. You know, but it's obviously not done. We need to bottle that energy and effort that we had and do it again in two days,” said Lopez.

A win for Bucks means they will make it to their first NBA Finals in 47 years, while if the Hawks wish to make it to the summit clash for the first time in 60 years, they will have to win two games back-to-back. But for now, they would look to survive the series.

By winning Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday night, Milwaukee Bucks are closer than Atlanta Hawks to the NBA Finals. Going into Game 6 on Saturday night (Sunday morning IST), the momentum has slightly shifted in favour of the Bucks that found a roster capable of lifting the heavyweight of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence.

By winning Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday night, Milwaukee Bucks are closer than Atlanta Hawks to the NBA Finals. Going into Game 6 on Saturday night (Sunday morning IST), the momentum has slightly shifted in favour of the Bucks that found a roster capable of lifting the heavyweight of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence. ALSO READ: NBA: Bucks, Hawks go head-to-head without their stars aligned After losing Game 5, Hawks coach Nate McMillan as a matter-of-fact stated Game 6 is do-or-die. But Hawks aren’t strangers to such situations. Game 4 of this series was win-or-go-home in some ways as Hawks were down 2-1, and a loss would mean 3-1 deficit with Game 5 in Milwaukee. And Trae Young was out too. But Hawks soared in Game 4 and how. The last two games exhibited the prowess of the supporting cast in both teams that missed its star players. The Bucks had four of the five starters scoring 22+ points in their convincing win in Game 5 while the Hawks found Lou Williams, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Clint Capela, and Kevin Huerter contributing to the Game 4 blowout of Bucks. There is still no update whether Young and Antetokounmpo will step on the hardwood in Game 6. But don’t be surprised if they make the cut as Hawks will need Young’s playmaking skills to stay alive while Bucks will want their Greek superstar to close the deal. Hawks’ top-scorer in the last game Bogdan Bogdanovic spelled out improvements his team needed going into Game 6. “We have to start better, execution offensively, and game plan and defence. Obviously, turnovers, control the game better, control the ball,” explained Bogdanovic. “Better one-on-one defence, better rotations defensively and box out.” Brook Lopez, who had a career playoff game, didn’t want to think about being one game away from the NBA Finals. “It's exciting. You know, but it's obviously not done. We need to bottle that energy and effort that we had and do it again in two days,” said Lopez. A win for Bucks means they will make it to their first NBA Finals in 47 years, while if the Hawks wish to make it to the summit clash for the first time in 60 years, they will have to win two games back-to-back. But for now, they would look to survive the series.

NBA Preview: Bucks look for closure, Hawks eye survival

Brook Lopez stepped up when it mattered the most as Milwaukee Bucks beat Atlanta Hawks 123-112&nbsp;<a>on Thursday night</a>&nbsp;(<a>Friday morning</a>&nbsp;IST) taking a 3-2 lead in the series. With their star player Giannis Antetokounmpo watching from the bench, four of the Bucks’ starters tallied over 22 points putting Hawks one game away from elimination.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-bucks-hawks-go-head-to-head-without-their-stars-aligned-395172">NBA: Bucks, Hawks go head-to-head without their stars aligned</a>

While Lopez led the scoring for Bucks with 33, Khris Middleton got 26 with 13 rebounds and eight assists, Jrue Holiday tallying 25, and Bobby Portis registered a playoff-high of 22. For Hawks, Bogdan Bogdanovic stepped up with 28 points, but Hawks missed the creative spark their star player Trae Young provided them through the Playoffs.

Bucks showed intent and aggression as they led by 20 points at one point in the first quarter. The home team never conceded the lead and the closest Hawks came was at 65-59 at the start of the 3rd&nbsp;quarter.

“They were more physical. They hit us in the mouth, and we just did not recover from that,” said Hawks coach Nate McMillan. “They were more aggressive team from start to&nbsp;<a>finish tonight</a>.”

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer was happy how Portis played his role of the backup big man in Antetokounmpo’s absence. “He brings that passion for the game, for life. He's fun to be around. I think the crowd can feel that. His teammates can feel that. Coaches can feel it,” said Budenholzer.&nbsp;

As the series moves back to Atlanta, Hawks will be hoping their star player Trae Young is back for must-win Game 6 on Saturday (<a>Sunday morning</a>&nbsp;IST). “We've got to get back home and get ourselves ready to take care of business at home… I expect us to respond. It's do-or-die now,” said McMillan.

Brook Lopez stepped up when it mattered the most as Milwaukee Bucks beat Atlanta Hawks 123-112 on Thursday night (Friday morning IST) taking a 3-2 lead in the series.

Brook Lopez stepped up when it mattered the most as Milwaukee Bucks beat Atlanta Hawks 123-112 on Thursday night (Friday morning IST) taking a 3-2 lead in the series. With their star player Giannis Antetokounmpo watching from the bench, four of the Bucks’ starters tallied over 22 points putting Hawks one game away from elimination. ALSO READ: NBA: Bucks, Hawks go head-to-head without their stars aligned While Lopez led the scoring for Bucks with 33, Khris Middleton got 26 with 13 rebounds and eight assists, Jrue Holiday tallying 25, and Bobby Portis registered a playoff-high of 22. For Hawks, Bogdan Bogdanovic stepped up with 28 points, but Hawks missed the creative spark their star player Trae Young provided them through the Playoffs. Bucks showed intent and aggression as they led by 20 points at one point in the first quarter. The home team never conceded the lead and the closest Hawks came was at 65-59 at the start of the 3rd quarter. “They were more physical. They hit us in the mouth, and we just did not recover from that,” said Hawks coach Nate McMillan. “They were more aggressive team from start to finish tonight.” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer was happy how Portis played his role of the backup big man in Antetokounmpo’s absence. “He brings that passion for the game, for life. He's fun to be around. I think the crowd can feel that. His teammates can feel that. Coaches can feel it,” said Budenholzer. As the series moves back to Atlanta, Hawks will be hoping their star player Trae Young is back for must-win Game 6 on Saturday (Sunday morning IST). “We've got to get back home and get ourselves ready to take care of business at home… I expect us to respond. It's do-or-die now,” said McMillan.

NBA: Brook Lopez helps Milwaukee Bucks ground Atlanta Hawks

The Eastern Conference Finals is evenly poised as Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks are tied 2-2 ahead of tomorrow’s game at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. However, both teams are likely to miss their biggest weapons.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-kevin-durant-to-lead-usa-mens-basketball-team-394747" hreflang="en">Tokyo Olympics: Kevin Durant to lead USA men's basketball team</a>

Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks’ leading scorer, injured his foot in Game 3 and hasn’t played since then. His status for Game 5 is still not clear, but the Hawks showed they can win without him taking Game 4 by 112-88.

Coach Nate McMillan has had an impressive debut with the Hawks and acknowledged that that Game 5 in Milwaukee isn’t going to be easy. “We know it's going to be tough to go into Milwaukee and win there, but we've done that. We're capable of doing that,” said McMillan. “We're going to have to dump everything we have out on that floor again tomorrow.

The Bucks saw their star player Giannis Antetokounmpo leave the floor in the third quarter with a knee injury in Game 4. He has been listed as doubtful for Game 5 at home.

Coach Mike Budenholzer said they put his health and safety first and together make good decisions. “Hopefully there’s a way that we play both with Giannis and without Giannis,” said Budenholzer. “We’ve played games without Giannis, without Khris, without Jrue, without whoever it may be, and so hopefully you have a structure and a system where you can function at a high level on both ends of the court no matter who is playing.”

Hawks won the series opener in Milwaukee, so they know what it takes. A win in Game 5 would take them one step closer to the NBA Finals with Game 6 at home. Bucks may not read too much into it but they surely have a task at hand, fortunately in the comfort of their home.

The game will be live on Star Sports Select and the NBA League Pass at 6:00 AM

The Eastern Conference Finals is evenly poised as Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks are tied 2-2 ahead of tomorrow’s game at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. However, both teams are likely to miss their biggest weapons.

The Eastern Conference Finals is evenly poised as Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks are tied 2-2 ahead of tomorrow’s game at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. However, both teams are likely to miss their biggest weapons. ALSO READ: Tokyo Olympics: Kevin Durant to lead USA men's basketball team Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks’ leading scorer, injured his foot in Game 3 and hasn’t played since then. His status for Game 5 is still not clear, but the Hawks showed they can win without him taking Game 4 by 112-88. Coach Nate McMillan has had an impressive debut with the Hawks and acknowledged that that Game 5 in Milwaukee isn’t going to be easy. “We know it's going to be tough to go into Milwaukee and win there, but we've done that. We're capable of doing that,” said McMillan. “We're going to have to dump everything we have out on that floor again tomorrow. The Bucks saw their star player Giannis Antetokounmpo leave the floor in the third quarter with a knee injury in Game 4. He has been listed as doubtful for Game 5 at home. Coach Mike Budenholzer said they put his health and safety first and together make good decisions. “Hopefully there’s a way that we play both with Giannis and without Giannis,” said Budenholzer. “We’ve played games without Giannis, without Khris, without Jrue, without whoever it may be, and so hopefully you have a structure and a system where you can function at a high level on both ends of the court no matter who is playing.” Hawks won the series opener in Milwaukee, so they know what it takes. A win in Game 5 would take them one step closer to the NBA Finals with Game 6 at home. Bucks may not read too much into it but they surely have a task at hand, fortunately in the comfort of their home. The game will be live on Star Sports Select and the NBA League Pass at 6:00 AM

NBA: Bucks, Hawks go head-to-head without their stars aligned

LeBron James bagged his fourth triple-double of the season as the Los Angeles Lakers thrashed the Golden State Warriors 128-97 on Monday.

James finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists as the Lakers dominated almost from start to finish for an impressive win on the road at the Chase Center.

Stephen Curry led the Golden State scoring with 27 points but the much hoped-for duel with All-Star game team-mate James never materialised as the Dubs struggled to contain the Lakers' offense.

Montrezl Harrell had 27 points off the bench to lead the Lakers scoring while Kyle Kuzma finished with 17 points.

The Lakers improved to 26-13 to remain in third place in the Western Conference while the Warriors fell to ninth place with 20-20.&nbsp;

Elsewhere on Monday, Giannis Antetokounmpo reeled off his third straight triple-double as the Milwaukee Bucks extended their winning streak to four games with a 133-122 victory over the Washington Wizards.

Antetokounmpo finished with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in another MVP-caliber performance that came two days after his 33-point triple double against the Wizards on Saturday.

"We feel like we've said it a lot after games for a good stretch of time now -- he's been in a good place mentally for a while," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said of Antetokounmpo's performance at Washington's Capital One Arena.

"The way he's playing, creating for others, creating for himself. He's just playing great basketball," Budenholzer added.

Khris Middleton added 23 points for Milwaukee while center Brook Lopez finished with 22 as seven Bucks players cracked double figures.

Bradley Beal led Washington's scoring with 37 points after going 13-of-19 from the field&nbsp; with four three-pointers.

Russell Westbrook finished with 23 points and 17 assists while Japan's Rui Hachimura added 22 points for Washington.

Milwaukee improved to 25-14 with the win and remain third in the Eastern Conference behind Brooklyn and leaders Philadelphia.

<h2>- Tempers flare -</h2>

In other games Monday, James Harden bagged a triple double and Kyrie Irving added 34 points as the Brooklyn Nets rolled to a fifth consecutive victory with a 117-112 win over the New York Knicks.

Harden finished with 21 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in a superb individual display at Brooklyn's Barclays Center.

Irving's 34-point display was backed by Jeff Green (20 points) and Joe Harris with 13 points.

The Knicks meanwhile fell just short of a fourth quarter comeback after coming within three points of Brooklyn with 10 seconds remaining having trailed by 18 points earlier in the half.

Knicks forward Julius Randle needed to be restrained by team-mates at the buzzer after a controversial travelling call effectively handed Brooklyn the win.

Randle, who finished with 33 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, angrily slammed over a chair as he headed to the locker room following the loss.

"I was frustrated. We fought so hard to come back and win the game. I was just frustrated," Randle said afterwards, declining to dwell on the incident.&nbsp;

"It's best I don't comment on the situation. There was a lot of frustration behind it for both sides. I'll let it be in the past."

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau also played down Randle's outburst.

"It's an emotional game, he calmed down right away," Thibodeau said. "Sometimes it goes your way with the whistles, sometimes it doesn't. I thought Julius played a terrific game."

Elsewhere Monday, the Los Angeles Clippers overpowered the Dallas Mavericks 109-99 on the road with Kawhi Leonard leading an all-round offensive effort.&nbsp;

Leonard finished with 22 points on a night when no fewer than seven players reached double figures for the Clippers.&nbsp;

Luka Doncic led the Mavs scoring with 25 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists while Kristaps Porzingis added 22 points.

LeBron James bagged his fourth triple-double of the season as the Los Angeles Lakers thrashed the Golden State Warriors 128-97 on Monday. James finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists as the Lakers dominated almost from start to finish for an impressive win on the road at the Chase Center.

LeBron James bagged his fourth triple-double of the season as the Los Angeles Lakers thrashed the Golden State Warriors 128-97 on Monday. James finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists as the Lakers dominated almost from start to finish for an impressive win on the road at the Chase Center. Stephen Curry led the Golden State scoring with 27 points but the much hoped-for duel with All-Star game team-mate James never materialised as the Dubs struggled to contain the Lakers' offense. Montrezl Harrell had 27 points off the bench to lead the Lakers scoring while Kyle Kuzma finished with 17 points. The Lakers improved to 26-13 to remain in third place in the Western Conference while the Warriors fell to ninth place with 20-20. Elsewhere on Monday, Giannis Antetokounmpo reeled off his third straight triple-double as the Milwaukee Bucks extended their winning streak to four games with a 133-122 victory over the Washington Wizards. Antetokounmpo finished with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in another MVP-caliber performance that came two days after his 33-point triple double against the Wizards on Saturday. "We feel like we've said it a lot after games for a good stretch of time now -- he's been in a good place mentally for a while," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said of Antetokounmpo's performance at Washington's Capital One Arena. "The way he's playing, creating for others, creating for himself. He's just playing great basketball," Budenholzer added. Khris Middleton added 23 points for Milwaukee while center Brook Lopez finished with 22 as seven Bucks players cracked double figures. Bradley Beal led Washington's scoring with 37 points after going 13-of-19 from the field with four three-pointers. Russell Westbrook finished with 23 points and 17 assists while Japan's Rui Hachimura added 22 points for Washington. Milwaukee improved to 25-14 with the win and remain third in the Eastern Conference behind Brooklyn and leaders Philadelphia. - Tempers flare - In other games Monday, James Harden bagged a triple double and Kyrie Irving added 34 points as the Brooklyn Nets rolled to a fifth consecutive victory with a 117-112 win over the New York Knicks. Harden finished with 21 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in a superb individual display at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. Irving's 34-point display was backed by Jeff Green (20 points) and Joe Harris with 13 points. The Knicks meanwhile fell just short of a fourth quarter comeback after coming within three points of Brooklyn with 10 seconds remaining having trailed by 18 points earlier in the half. Knicks forward Julius Randle needed to be restrained by team-mates at the buzzer after a controversial travelling call effectively handed Brooklyn the win. Randle, who finished with 33 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, angrily slammed over a chair as he headed to the locker room following the loss. "I was frustrated. We fought so hard to come back and win the game. I was just frustrated," Randle said afterwards, declining to dwell on the incident. "It's best I don't comment on the situation. There was a lot of frustration behind it for both sides. I'll let it be in the past." Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau also played down Randle's outburst. "It's an emotional game, he calmed down right away," Thibodeau said. "Sometimes it goes your way with the whistles, sometimes it doesn't. I thought Julius played a terrific game." Elsewhere Monday, the Los Angeles Clippers overpowered the Dallas Mavericks 109-99 on the road with Kawhi Leonard leading an all-round offensive effort. Leonard finished with 22 points on a night when no fewer than seven players reached double figures for the Clippers. Luka Doncic led the Mavs scoring with 25 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists while Kristaps Porzingis added 22 points.

LeBron leads Lakers rout, triple trio for Giannis in Bucks win

LeBron James scored a season-high 34 points as the Los Angeles Lakers won their eighth straight road game with a 113-106 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.

The victory opened a seven-game road trip for the NBA champion Lakers, who are hoping this is the beginning of another run of victories.&nbsp;

They had a five-game winning streak snapped in their most recent outing, a 115-113 loss to Golden State.

"Our motivation was not losing two in a row tonight. We were able to get that accomplished," said forward Anthony Davis.

James made a key three pointer and capped his night with an emphatic double clutch slam dunk as the Lakers improved to a NBA best 12-4 on the season after Thursday's gritty performance at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 23 points and Davis finished with 18 points and nine rebounds in the win. Caldwell-Pope sank seven-of-10 threes as the Lakers went 19-of-37 from three-point range.

Going on a seven-game road trip might be a daunting task for some teams but not the Lakers, who have the best record in the league.

They have excelled away from Staples Center arena by compiling a franchise best 8-0 start on the road this season.

"It is coming along. We are just playing for each other," said Caldwell-Pope.

The Lakers bottled up reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds but had a career high nine turnovers.

"We've got to keep working, keep playing good basketball for longer periods of time, make shots, defend better, rebound the ball better," Antetokounmpo said. "Ultimately we've got to get better."

Jrue Holiday tallied 22 points and Khris Middleton scored 20 for the Bucks, who dropped their second straight game for the first time this season.

The Bucks led by as many as seven in the first quarter before taking a 33-29 lead into the second.

The Lakers started the fourth with a five-point lead, 86-81, but quickly extended that to 11 points. The Bucks took advantage of some sloppy Laker defence to go on a 9-0 run to close the gap to 98-96 with three minutes to go on a layup by Middleton.

But four-time MVP James and Alex Caruso each drained key three pointers in the final two minutes. James, who beat the shot clock with his three pointer, then put the game away in style by driving hard to the basket and dunking it with 15 seconds remaining in the fourth.

"There were stretches where we were really good on both ends of the court," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said.&nbsp;

"We had a bad stretch, I felt like the last four or five minutes of the second quarter, on both ends of the court we were not good. We were not sharp like you need to be for 48 minutes."

&nbsp;

<h2>- Green ejected for yelling -</h2>

&nbsp;

Elsewhere, R.J. Barrett recorded a career best with 28 points, and the&nbsp;New York Knicks used a 40-point first quarter to build a lead they relinquished only momentarily in a 119-104 victory over the Golden State Warriors.

Stephen Curry had a game-high 30 points for the Warriors, who were coming off back-to-back wins over the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs.&nbsp;

The Warriors lost Draymond Green to a disputed technical ejection in the second quarter, when he appeared to be yelling at his own teammate&nbsp;James Wiseman -- but the officials saw it differently.

The Knicks outshot the Warriors 46.3 percent to 38.4 from the floor.

LeBron James scored a season-high 34 points as the Los Angeles Lakers won their eighth straight road game with a 113-106 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.

LeBron James scored a season-high 34 points as the Los Angeles Lakers won their eighth straight road game with a 113-106 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. The victory opened a seven-game road trip for the NBA champion Lakers, who are hoping this is the beginning of another run of victories. They had a five-game winning streak snapped in their most recent outing, a 115-113 loss to Golden State. "Our motivation was not losing two in a row tonight. We were able to get that accomplished," said forward Anthony Davis. James made a key three pointer and capped his night with an emphatic double clutch slam dunk as the Lakers improved to a NBA best 12-4 on the season after Thursday's gritty performance at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 23 points and Davis finished with 18 points and nine rebounds in the win. Caldwell-Pope sank seven-of-10 threes as the Lakers went 19-of-37 from three-point range. Going on a seven-game road trip might be a daunting task for some teams but not the Lakers, who have the best record in the league. They have excelled away from Staples Center arena by compiling a franchise best 8-0 start on the road this season. "It is coming along. We are just playing for each other," said Caldwell-Pope. The Lakers bottled up reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds but had a career high nine turnovers. "We've got to keep working, keep playing good basketball for longer periods of time, make shots, defend better, rebound the ball better," Antetokounmpo said. "Ultimately we've got to get better." Jrue Holiday tallied 22 points and Khris Middleton scored 20 for the Bucks, who dropped their second straight game for the first time this season. The Bucks led by as many as seven in the first quarter before taking a 33-29 lead into the second. The Lakers started the fourth with a five-point lead, 86-81, but quickly extended that to 11 points. The Bucks took advantage of some sloppy Laker defence to go on a 9-0 run to close the gap to 98-96 with three minutes to go on a layup by Middleton. But four-time MVP James and Alex Caruso each drained key three pointers in the final two minutes. James, who beat the shot clock with his three pointer, then put the game away in style by driving hard to the basket and dunking it with 15 seconds remaining in the fourth. "There were stretches where we were really good on both ends of the court," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "We had a bad stretch, I felt like the last four or five minutes of the second quarter, on both ends of the court we were not good. We were not sharp like you need to be for 48 minutes." - Green ejected for yelling - Elsewhere, R.J. Barrett recorded a career best with 28 points, and the New York Knicks used a 40-point first quarter to build a lead they relinquished only momentarily in a 119-104 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Stephen Curry had a game-high 30 points for the Warriors, who were coming off back-to-back wins over the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors lost Draymond Green to a disputed technical ejection in the second quarter, when he appeared to be yelling at his own teammate James Wiseman -- but the officials saw it differently. The Knicks outshot the Warriors 46.3 percent to 38.4 from the floor.

James scores 34 as Lakers improve to 8-0 on the road

The Milwaukee Bucks set an NBA record for three-pointers in a game, draining 29 from beyond the arc in a 144-97 blowout win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday.

The Heat, who stunned the top-seeded Bucks in the second round of the 2020 Eastern Conference playoffs en route to the NBA Finals, never got a look in, trailing by as many as 51 in a game Milwaukee led all the way.

Sam Merrill drilled the record-breaking 28th three-pointer of the game, surpassing the 27 set by the Houston Rockets against the Phoenix Suns on April 7, 2019.

Jrue Holiday had six three-pointers on the way to 24 points. Khris Middleton, who led the Bucks with 25 points, made four of five from three-point range.

Starting guard Donte DiVincenzo's 17 points included five three-pointers, and Brook Lopez had three treys on the way to 14 points.

Two-time reigning Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo was the only Bucks starter not to make a three-pointer, coming up empty on two attempts in a nine-point performance.

His brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo drained one three-pointer for the family on the way to five points off the bench for the Bucks, who simply steamrolled a Heat team that was without injured forward Jimmy Butler.

"Honestly, (we) just played hard," Holiday said. "We know the Heat way and how they're going to come out and play no matter who's playing.

"So we just wanted to take that approach."

It was a bounce-back win for the Bucks, who were blown out 130-110 by the Knicks in New York on Sunday.

"Last game in New York, we didn't show what we wanted to show," Holiday said.

They left no doubt in this one, leading by as many as 24 points on the way to a 46-26 first-quarter lead and never let up.

"Some nights, the basketball golds are with you a little bit, and it was probably one of those nights for us," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said.

"But I liked our defense, too. I think the energy on both ends of the court feeds and builds on each other and good things will happen."

The Bucks' previous record for three-pointers in a game was 22, against the Sacramento Kings on November 4, 2018.

The most the Heat had given up before was 24.

"It looked like they had been thinking about this game for 80 days," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, whose team will get a chance to avenge the embarrassing defeat when they host the Bucks again on Wednesday.

The Los Angeles Clippers also rebounded from a big defeat.

Two days after a 124-73 loss to the Dallas Mavericks the Clippers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-101.

Lou Williams scored 20 points off the bench to lead seven Clippers players who scored in double figures.

"We knew coming tonight we had to do better," said Clippers center Serge Ibaka, who scored 16 points. "We had to be aggressive, just play team basketball."

The Philadelphia 76ers, coming off a lopsided loss to Cleveland, beat the Toronto Raptors 100-93.

Center Joel Embiid, who sat out Sunday's 24-point loss to the Cavaliers with a tight back, led the Sixers with 29 points and 16 rebounds.

<h2>- Randle leads Knicks -</h2>

Elsewhere, Julius Randle posted a triple-double of 28 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists to lead the New York Knicks to a 95-86 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

But Russell Westbrook's triple-double of 21 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists -- his third in as many appearances in the young season -- again went for nothing as his Washington Wizards fell 115-107 to the Chicago Bulls.

Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 23 points, and Wendell Carter Jr. added a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds as Chicago notched their first win of the season.

Denver center Nikola Jokic also had a triple-double in a losing effort, his 26 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists not enough in the Nuggets' 125-115 loss to the Sacramento Kings -- who were led by the 24 points of De'Aaron Fox.

The Milwaukee Bucks set an NBA record for three-pointers in a game, draining 29 from beyond the arc in a 144-97 blowout win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday. The Heat, who stunned the top-seeded Bucks in the second round of the 2020 Eastern Conference playoffs en route to the NBA Finals, never got a look in, trailing by as many as 51 in a game Milwaukee led all the way.

The Milwaukee Bucks set an NBA record for three-pointers in a game, draining 29 from beyond the arc in a 144-97 blowout win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday. The Heat, who stunned the top-seeded Bucks in the second round of the 2020 Eastern Conference playoffs en route to the NBA Finals, never got a look in, trailing by as many as 51 in a game Milwaukee led all the way. Sam Merrill drilled the record-breaking 28th three-pointer of the game, surpassing the 27 set by the Houston Rockets against the Phoenix Suns on April 7, 2019. Jrue Holiday had six three-pointers on the way to 24 points. Khris Middleton, who led the Bucks with 25 points, made four of five from three-point range. Starting guard Donte DiVincenzo's 17 points included five three-pointers, and Brook Lopez had three treys on the way to 14 points. Two-time reigning Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo was the only Bucks starter not to make a three-pointer, coming up empty on two attempts in a nine-point performance. His brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo drained one three-pointer for the family on the way to five points off the bench for the Bucks, who simply steamrolled a Heat team that was without injured forward Jimmy Butler. "Honestly, (we) just played hard," Holiday said. "We know the Heat way and how they're going to come out and play no matter who's playing. "So we just wanted to take that approach." It was a bounce-back win for the Bucks, who were blown out 130-110 by the Knicks in New York on Sunday. "Last game in New York, we didn't show what we wanted to show," Holiday said. They left no doubt in this one, leading by as many as 24 points on the way to a 46-26 first-quarter lead and never let up. "Some nights, the basketball golds are with you a little bit, and it was probably one of those nights for us," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "But I liked our defense, too. I think the energy on both ends of the court feeds and builds on each other and good things will happen." The Bucks' previous record for three-pointers in a game was 22, against the Sacramento Kings on November 4, 2018. The most the Heat had given up before was 24. "It looked like they had been thinking about this game for 80 days," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, whose team will get a chance to avenge the embarrassing defeat when they host the Bucks again on Wednesday. The Los Angeles Clippers also rebounded from a big defeat. Two days after a 124-73 loss to the Dallas Mavericks the Clippers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-101. Lou Williams scored 20 points off the bench to lead seven Clippers players who scored in double figures. "We knew coming tonight we had to do better," said Clippers center Serge Ibaka, who scored 16 points. "We had to be aggressive, just play team basketball." The Philadelphia 76ers, coming off a lopsided loss to Cleveland, beat the Toronto Raptors 100-93. Center Joel Embiid, who sat out Sunday's 24-point loss to the Cavaliers with a tight back, led the Sixers with 29 points and 16 rebounds. - Randle leads Knicks - Elsewhere, Julius Randle posted a triple-double of 28 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists to lead the New York Knicks to a 95-86 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. But Russell Westbrook's triple-double of 21 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists -- his third in as many appearances in the young season -- again went for nothing as his Washington Wizards fell 115-107 to the Chicago Bulls. Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 23 points, and Wendell Carter Jr. added a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds as Chicago notched their first win of the season. Denver center Nikola Jokic also had a triple-double in a losing effort, his 26 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists not enough in the Nuggets' 125-115 loss to the Sacramento Kings -- who were led by the 24 points of De'Aaron Fox.

Bucks' long-range barrage buries Heat, Clippers bounce back

Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 34 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to lead the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks over the New Orleans Pelicans 120-108 on Tuesday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/girl-dad-lebron-james-to-don-giannas-jersey-number-in-the-all-star-game-278464" hreflang="en">'Girl dad' LeBron James to don Gianna's jersey number in the All-Star game</a>

Antetokounmpo hit 12-of-17 from the floor and 9-of-13 free throws while adding six assists, a steal and a blocked shot as the Bucks improved their NBA-best record to 43-7 thanks to a 42-24 scoring edge in the third quarter.

"I had a good game but I could get better," Antetokounmpo said. "Closing down the third quarter, we didn't do a good job. We got sloppy."

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🦌 34 PTS, 17 REB for Giannis 🦌<a href="https://twitter.com/Giannis_An34?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Giannis_An34</a> and the <a href="https://twitter.com/Bucks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bucks</a> become the 8th team in <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAHistory?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBAHistory</a> to win 43 of their first 50 games! <a href="https://t.co/FrcFCWtYSd">pic.twitter.com/FrcFCWtYSd</a>
— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1224928651692691456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The Greek star still feels the sting of losing to Toronto in last year's Eastern Conference final and failing to lift the Bucks into their first NBA Finals since&nbsp;1974, three years after Milwaukee won its only title.

That's why chasing the NBA one-season best record of 73-9 by Golden State is not the Bucks' major goal.

"It's going to be good if we win 70 games. All that hard work is going to pay off," Antetokounmpo said. "It's going to be even better if we get better every game and play for the championship."

Brandon Ingram led the host Pelicans with 32 points, while 19-year-old rookie star Zion Williamson had 20 points despite 5-of-19 shooting from the floor with seven rebounds and five assists.

"I'm happy he's going to be out there and help his team win," Antetokounmpo said. "It's good playing against him. It's going to be a great duel for a lot of years."

In Los Angeles, the Lakers got 36 points, nine assists and seven rebounds from LeBron James and 18 points from Anthony Davis and Kyle Kuzma as the hosts rolled over the San Antonio Spurs 129-102.

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LeBron James (36 PTS) hits 5 3-pointers in the 4th quarter to help secure the <a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Lakers</a> home win. 
 
Kyle Kuzma: 18 PTS (7-11 FGM), 12 REB 
DeMar DeRozan: 28 PTS, 9 REB, 7 AST <a href="https://t.co/fkEuT30UqY">pic.twitter.com/fkEuT30UqY</a>
— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1224924079758725126?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The Lakers improved the best record in the Western Conference to 38-11, 3 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Los Angeles Clippers.

James sank five 3-pointers in the first 3 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter to stretch the Lakers' lead from 87-77 to 108-87 and seal San Antonio's fate.

"LeBron came out and hit five straight threes in 3 1/2 minutes, he got the lead for us and closed out the game early," Davis said.

"We just want to come out and make sure we play defense every night."

DeMar DeRozan led the Spurs with 28 points.

NBA scoring leader James Harden, chasing a third consecutive NBA scoring crown, poured in 40 points, passed off 12 assists and grabbed nine rebounds to power the Houston Rockets over visiting Charlotte 125-110.

Harden could match the third-longest run of scoring titles in NBA history, behind only the record seven seasons in a row of scoring crowns won by Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain.

Serbian center Nikola Jokic scored 29 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and passed out nine assists to spark the Denver Nuggets over visiting Portland 127-99. Damian Lillard led the Trail Blazers with 21 points.

Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 34 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to lead the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks over the New Orleans Pelicans 120-108 on Tuesday.

Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 34 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to lead the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks over the New Orleans Pelicans 120-108 on Tuesday. Also read: 'Girl dad' LeBron James to don Gianna's jersey number in the All-Star game Antetokounmpo hit 12-of-17 from the floor and 9-of-13 free throws while adding six assists, a steal and a blocked shot as the Bucks improved their NBA-best record to 43-7 thanks to a 42-24 scoring edge in the third quarter. "I had a good game but I could get better," Antetokounmpo said. "Closing down the third quarter, we didn't do a good job. We got sloppy." 🦌 34 PTS, 17 REB for Giannis 🦌@Giannis_An34 and the @Bucks become the 8th team in @NBAHistory to win 43 of their first 50 games! pic.twitter.com/FrcFCWtYSd — NBA (@NBA) February 5, 2020 × The Greek star still feels the sting of losing to Toronto in last year's Eastern Conference final and failing to lift the Bucks into their first NBA Finals since 1974, three years after Milwaukee won its only title. That's why chasing the NBA one-season best record of 73-9 by Golden State is not the Bucks' major goal. "It's going to be good if we win 70 games. All that hard work is going to pay off," Antetokounmpo said. "It's going to be even better if we get better every game and play for the championship." Brandon Ingram led the host Pelicans with 32 points, while 19-year-old rookie star Zion Williamson had 20 points despite 5-of-19 shooting from the floor with seven rebounds and five assists. "I'm happy he's going to be out there and help his team win," Antetokounmpo said. "It's good playing against him. It's going to be a great duel for a lot of years." In Los Angeles, the Lakers got 36 points, nine assists and seven rebounds from LeBron James and 18 points from Anthony Davis and Kyle Kuzma as the hosts rolled over the San Antonio Spurs 129-102. LeBron James (36 PTS) hits 5 3-pointers in the 4th quarter to help secure the @Lakers home win. Kyle Kuzma: 18 PTS (7-11 FGM), 12 REB DeMar DeRozan: 28 PTS, 9 REB, 7 AST pic.twitter.com/fkEuT30UqY — NBA (@NBA) February 5, 2020 × The Lakers improved the best record in the Western Conference to 38-11, 3 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Los Angeles Clippers. James sank five 3-pointers in the first 3 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter to stretch the Lakers' lead from 87-77 to 108-87 and seal San Antonio's fate. "LeBron came out and hit five straight threes in 3 1/2 minutes, he got the lead for us and closed out the game early," Davis said. "We just want to come out and make sure we play defense every night." DeMar DeRozan led the Spurs with 28 points. NBA scoring leader James Harden, chasing a third consecutive NBA scoring crown, poured in 40 points, passed off 12 assists and grabbed nine rebounds to power the Houston Rockets over visiting Charlotte 125-110. Harden could match the third-longest run of scoring titles in NBA history, behind only the record seven seasons in a row of scoring crowns won by Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. Serbian center Nikola Jokic scored 29 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and passed out nine assists to spark the Denver Nuggets over visiting Portland 127-99. Damian Lillard led the Trail Blazers with 21 points.

Basketball: Giannis powers NBA-best Bucks to win, Lakers rip Spurs

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