MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 30 points and a season-high 19 rebounds, Khris Middleton recorded his second career triple-double and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-93 on Sunday.
Middleton had 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for her first triple-double since January 20, 2018.
Milwaukee opened a close game in the second half as Oklahoma City (49-21) lost the lead in the Western Conference. The reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets (50-21) did not play Sunday and advanced a half-game ahead of the Thunder.
Oklahoma City posted its lowest point total and shot its lowest percentage (.371) of the season. Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 12 points — the first time since Jan. 19 he was held below 20 — and missed the entire fourth quarter after the Bucks took a lopsided lead.
It was the first time since a Feb. 3 win in Dallas that the Bucks had Antetokounmpo, Middleton and seven-time All-NBA guard Damian Lillard on the court for the same game. It was the first time since the Jan. 31 loss at Portland that they had their preferred starting lineup of Antetokounmpo, Lillard, Middleton, Brook Lopez and Malik Beasley.
Middleton had missed 16 straight games with a sprained left ankle and also had a win against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday due to injury management. Lillard also suffered a sprained left ankle that forced him to miss two games in early February. Antetokounmpo returned Thursday after missing two games with a left hamstring issue.
Milwaukee had seven players score in double figures. Bobby Portis had 15, Lopez 14, Lillard and Pat Connaughton 11 each and Jae Crowder 10.
Josh Giddey scored 19 and Jalen Williams added 18 for the Thunder.
The Bucks led 48-47 at halftime and opened the game by outscoring Oklahoma City 18-2 in the first six minutes of the third quarter. Oklahoma City didn’t score its first basket of the third period until Williams converted a layup with 5:38 remaining that ended a 16-0 Milwaukee spurt.
Oklahoma City’s Lu Dort appeared to take a hit to the head under the basket as Williams scored, forcing the swingman to leave the game.
The Bucks ended up winning the third period 34-17 as the Thunder matched their lowest point total of any quarter all season.
FOLLOWING
Thunder: at New Orleans on Tuesday.
Bucks: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.
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