Giannis Antetokounmpo had 37 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, then Grayson Allen hit the game-tying hat-trick with 30 seconds left after his superstar teammate fouled to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 109-103 victory about the New York Knicks
Allen, Bucks hold on after Giannis fouls against KnicksBy BRIAN MAHONEYAP Basketball WriterThe Associated PressNEW YORK
NEW YORK (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 37 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, then Grayson Allen made a game-tying 3-pointer with 30 seconds left after his superstar teammate fouled to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a victory 109-103 over the New York Knicks Wednesday night.
Allen made just one three-pointer: one game after going 7-for-7 behind the arc in the first half of a win over Dallas. But he was the only one the Bucks needed after Antetokounmpo had carried them for so long.
“Obviously, I wanted to be in the game, I wanted to finish the game, I wanted to be aggressive, I wanted to enjoy the game, but it doesn’t matter,” Antetokounmpo said. “The team was able to stop down the stretch and bounce down the stretch and run the play really well, and Grayson hit it big.”
He fouled with a minute left and the Bucks were up by two when he tried to block Mitchell Robinson’s shot. The Bucks defied the call, hoping Brook Lopez would get the ball clean, but replays showed Antetokounmpo hitting Robinson’s arm first.
“That makes things a little more difficult for us. He is the head of our team,” Allen said. “But I think we all think we’re capable of winning with whatever five we have out there.”
Robinson hit a free throw and the Knicks got the rebound when he missed his second, leading to a Jalen Brunson free throw that tied it with 47 seconds left.
After Allen’s 3-pointer, RJ Barrett missed a 3-pointer for the Knicks and the Bucks shut down from the free throw line.
Jrue Holiday had 22 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Bucks, who have had long stretches where Antetokounmpo was their only offense.
“He’s going to find a way to pass, find his points and become the aggressor,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “So we needed everything and then his teammates were able to bring him home after he was out.”
Barrett scored 26 points, Julius Randle added 18 and Brunson had 17 for the Knicks, who amassed 140 points in Detroit Tuesday night but found things very different against the Bucks’ top-notch defense. New York shot 42% from the field and 20% from 3-point range, plus a measly 65% from the free throw line.
“I thought we had some good shots that we didn’t make,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “But I liked the way we competed. I thought we did a lot of good things.
Robinson finished with 15 points and 20 rebounds, including 11 offensive.
After a sloppy shooting first half, as the teams combined to go 8-of-39 from 3-point range, Antetokounmpo provided nicer play in the third quarter. The defending Eastern Conference Player of the Week was 4-of-5 for nine points, including a layup in which it looked like he drove too far under the right side basket after a swing move, but was able to reach far enough to pick it up from the left of the rim.
TIPS
Bucks: The game began a stretch that saw the Bucks play on the road 11 times in a 15-game span. … Milwaukee beat New York for the fifth time in a row. … Allen had 11 points.
Knicks: Brunson limped out after the first possession of the game and soon after checked and returned to the locker room. When he returned about six minutes later, the public announcer accidentally called him “Rick” Brunson, Jalen’s father who played for the Knicks and is now Thibodeau’s assistant. … The Knicks have lost four straight home games.
MAYBE MIDDLETON?
Budenholzer said Khris Middleton was practicing again Wednesday after the Bucks shooting as he nears his return from offseason left wrist ligament surgery. The Athletic reported Wednesday that Middleton could make his debut as early as Friday against the Lakers, but Budenholzer didn’t provide any schedule.
“I think saying it’s close is accurate and I’ll leave it at that,” Budenholzer said. “Near can mean anything.”
NEXT
Bucks: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.
Knicks: host Dallas on Saturday.
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