MILWAUKEE – – Damian Lillard had 31 points and 16 assists and Bobby Portis had 31 points and 10 rebounds to lead Milwaukee past the Phoenix Suns 140-129 on Sunday, as the Bucks made 24 3-pointers to win without the star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo, averaging 30.8 points and 11.2 rebounds, was out because of left hamstring soreness. He missed only his fourth game of the season and first since March 4, when he was out with Achilles tendinitis.
“It’s not an injury, we were just a little worried,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. “In addition, when we look at the schedule, we have one, two, three, four, five days off. We planted it in him and he had to do it. We are happy that he decided to do so.
Phoenix trailed 109-94 after three quarters, but closed to 122-115 on a Bradley Beal lay-in with 6:17 to play. Lillard’s 3-pointer from top left put Milwaukee up 134-120 with 3:18 left.
“I just wanted to go out and be in attack mode,” said Lillard, who became the first Bucks player in history to have a 30-point, 15-assist game. “I didn’t really think I would have to score a lot of points. I just knew I had to be a problem for the defense.
Khris Middleton added 22 points for Milwaukee in his first game back after missing 16 games with a sprained left ankle. The Bucks finished 24 of 41 from 3-point range, with Portis and Malik Beasley making five each.
“I thought it was huge, especially with Giannis not being there,” Lillard said of Middleton’s return. “Any time you lose your best player and you add another weapon to a team that’s already down, it’s a pick-me-up just because we’re excited to have him back.”
Beal had 28 points, Grayson Allen had 25 points and Devin Booker scored 23 for Phoenix.
Milwaukee’s 18 3-pointers in the first half tied the NBA record for 3-pointers in the first half held by the Suns and Utah Jazz.
“They changed their team, obviously, with Giannis not being there, and Dame is an elite forward who forces you to really expand your defense against him,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said. “The risk is exposing the 3-point line.”
Portis came off the bench for 25 points in the first half, hitting 10 of 13 shots, including 5 of 5 from beyond the arc, in just under 13 minutes.
Allen’s 3-point basket capped an 11-point run that brought the Suns within 93-83 with just over 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. Lillard hit a 3-pointer from the rim just before the buzzer to give Milwaukee a 109-94 lead entering the final period.
Milwaukee edged Cleveland by a game and a half for the second-best record in the East. Phoenix entered in sixth place in the West, a half-game ahead of Sacramento and a game ahead of Dallas.
FOLLOWING
Suns: Host the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.
Bucks: Visit the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.
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