The Charlotte Hornets loss on a last second shot by Giannis Antetokonmpo, giving the Milwaukee Bucks a 127-125 win on Wednesday.
“Giannis is just great. Reading the defense, attack mode,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “Any time we can get him the ball in that type of situation, we feel like he’s going to make a good play.”
A step-back jump shot from Gordon Hayward opened the scoring for the Hornets. P.J. Washington continued his torrid shooting from the 3-point line, nailing two threes, along with Miles Bridges, as the Hornets built a ten point lead, 17-7, with just over four minutes gone by in the first quarter.
Antetokonmpo established himself early, with some strong drives to the basket. Charlotte defended the Bucks very well overall, and made ten 3-pointers, and took a 41-25 lead. Kelly Oubre Jr. and Terry Rozier each scored eight points and Rozier added seven assists.
Right at the beginning of the second quarter, backup point guard Ish Smith connected with Bridges for a dunk. The Hornets were executing and moving the ball well, which led to open looks. They led by ten points with six minutes to go in the quarter. Outside of Antetokonmpo’s 21 points, the rest of the Bucks were relatively quiet in the first half. At halftime, the Hornets led 68-60. Oubre had 20 points, LaMelo Ball added 12 with 4 boards and 6 assists and Bridges had 11 points and 8 rebounds. The Hornets were on fire from 3-point range, 14-29 (48.2%), in the first half.
Ball started the third quarter by hitting a 31-footer and his outstanding shooting would keep the Hornets in the game, while Milwaukee went on a run. Ball hit another outside shot to make it 78-72, but a spark, led by Grayson Allen and the newly signed DeMarcus Cousins, helped the Bucks slice the lead to one, 84-83.
Bridges responded with an emphatic dunk, but Milwaukee’s offense continued to heat up and took the lead going into the final quarter, 97-95. Ball had 20 points as the third quarter came to an end.
Antetokounmpo earned a three point play on the Bucks second possession of the fourth quarter, but stellar defense and shot blocking would be the catalyst for a 7-0 run by the Hornets to give them a one point lead, 102-101. The Bucks responded quickly with a 3-point bomb, starting a back-and-forth scoring exchange that lasted throughout the quarter.
A Pat Connaughton’s outside shot gave the Bucks a 113-111 lead, with a little over five minutes left in regulation. Ball began to assert himself, hitting four of his eight triples in the final frame to keep Charlotte within striking distance. An offensive foul by Antetokounmpo was challenged by coach Budenholzer, the challenge was successful and a blocking foul was called on Rozier. Then a strong move by Bridges to the basket put the Hornets up 118-117.
Execution from Charlotte was shaky at best, with a turnover from Ball and a contested long two from Hayward in the final minute. Khris Middleton hit a pair of clutch free throws to give the Bucks a 125-122 lead.
Ball made a fadeaway 3-pointer, his eighth of the game, with 5.9 seconds left, to square the game at 125. Antetokounmpo would take the ball through the heart of the Hornets defense with a layup to make the score 127-125. Bridges’ halfcourt shot attempt rimmed out and the Bucks held on for the win.
“Great effort, on the road against a really good team,” Hornets coach James Borrego said. “Came in with the right mentality from the start. Played for 48 minutes the right way. I don’t have one minute where I didn’t think we were playing the right way.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo had a game high 40 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists for the Bucks. Khris Middleton added 21 points and Grayson Allen scored 16 points and had seven rebounds.
LaMelo Ball had a career-high 36 points for the Hornets, followed by Kelly Oubre Jr. with 25 and Miles Bridges with 22 points.
The Bucks travel to Toronto to face the Raptors on Thursday. The Hornets travel to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Sunday.
© Copyright - 730 The Game ESPN