Damian Lillard played his third consecutive game with at least 30 points. He made his two biggest plays on the other end of the court.
Lillard had 30 points and 12 assists and had two late steals as the Milwaukee Bucks took advantage of the return of Giannis Antetokounmpo to beat the Brooklyn Nets 115-108 on Thursday night.
The first of those two steals led to the game-winning field goal after the Nets overcame a 20-point deficit to take the lead.
“I think in my career I haven’t been known as a defender, but throughout the games I was always able to have a moment or do what I needed to do at the end of the game defensively,” said Lillard, who averaged 31 points and 11.3 assists over his last three games.
Antetokounmpo had 21 points, nine rebounds and five assists after missing two games with a left hamstring issue.
“You try to control what you can control,” Antetokounmpo said. “Things like this are going to pop up from time to time. It’s a little unexpected, but at the end of the day, these are the cards you’ve been dealt, and you just have to keep understanding them, keep playing through the pain, keep playing through the adversity.
The Bucks rested Khris Middleton one night after playing 33 minutes in a game 122-119 defeat in Boston as they continue to manage his workload during his recovery from a sprained left ankle.
Mikal Bridges scored 24 points, Nic Claxton 22 and Cam Thomas 21 for the Nets, who lost their fifth straight.
After trailing by 20 points at the end of the second quarter and by 18 at the start of the third, the Nets took the lead, outscoring the Bucks 21-6 over the first 5 1/2 minutes of the final period.
“We didn’t get a win, but I definitely think we improved tonight,” Nets interim coach Kevin Ollie said. “This is the message I have been sending them since I took office. I just want them to grow up.
Cam Johnson made a 3-pointer with 6:58 left to put Brooklyn ahead 87-88, giving the Nets their first lead since 11-9. Dennis Smith Jr. followed with a steal and a basket to make the score 90-87 with 6:41 to play.
Antetokounpmo scored a 3-pointer to tie the game with six minutes remaining, and the game unfolded from there.
It was tied at 96 when Lillard got a steal and started a fast break. The sequence allowed Antetokounmpo to score at the other end of the court while being fouled. Antetokounmpo made the ensuing free throw to complete a 3-point play with 3:36 remaining.
Milwaukee extended the lead to five twice, but the Nets cut it to 103-101 on Bridges’ 3-pointer with 2:17 left.
After Antetokounmpo missed a shot, the Nets had the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead. Dennis Smith Jr. entered the lane, but Lillard stole the ball, drove upcourt and found Malik Beasley open for a corner 3-pointer that made it 106-101 with 1:37 to go. play.
Lillard then sealed the victory by scoring the game’s next five points, including a 3-pointer with 41 seconds remaining.
“Dame defensively was phenomenal tonight, the whole game,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. “He’s a very competitive guy, and we got to see that tonight.”
FOLLOWING
Nets: At New York on Saturday.
Bucks: Host Oklahoma City on Sunday night.
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