Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded 31 points and nine rebounds to propel the host Milwaukee Bucks to a 112-109 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday.
The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player made 14 of 21 shots from the floor, though he sank just one of 10 attempts from the free-throw line. Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton drained a pair of pivotal three-pointers late in the fourth quarter to highlight his 25-point performance.
“We showed him bodies. He wasn’t able to step back. We made him pass the ball,” Antetokounmpo said of Doncic.
READ ALSO: NBA PLAY-OFFS: Antetokounmpo Signs New Deal With Milwaukee Bucks.
After Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez missed a free throw with one second left, Doncic launched a desperation two-handed three-point attempt at the buzzer but it hit the backboard and bounced harmlessly away to give Milwaukee the win.
“We just stayed with it,” said Middleton. “They did a good job rebounding off the glass and made some tough shots but we just stayed with it.”
The former second-round draft pick was traded to the Bucks in 2013 from Detroit.
“Each year is about getting better and finding ways to make my teammates better. That is what they do for me,” said Middleton, who recently donated $100,000 to the employees at Fiserv Forum who lost their jobs because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Jrue Holiday had 16 points and Brook Lopez added 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Bucks, who overcame a 12-for-25 effort at the foul line to extend their winning streak to four games. Milwaukee also exacted a bit of revenge after being swept by Dallas in a two-game season series in 2019-20.
Luka Doncic collected 28 points and 13 assists and Tim Hardaway Jr added 22 points for the Mavericks, who saw their season-high, four-game winning streak come to a halt.
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