Antetokounmpo Ends Bucks’ Seven-Game Skid, Surpasses 21,000 Career Points
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NEW YORK — Giannis Antetokounmpo needed just 19 minutes on Saturday night to stop the Milwaukee Bucks’ freefall, scoring 29 points and grabbing eight rebounds in a 129-Nets-87 win that snapped the team’s seven-game losing streak.
Milwaukee had not won since November 14, and Antetokounmpo acknowledged the urgency afterward. “It felt really good,” he said. “We were fighting for our lives.”
Historic milestone
Midway through the third quarter, the two-time MVP buried a corner three-pointer to become the 42nd player in NBA history to reach 21,000 career points. According to the Bucks, he is the sixth-youngest to hit the mark.
“When I was younger, I’d say, ‘It’s another day at the office,’” Antetokounmpo noted. “But as you get older, you start appreciating those moments. Being a kid from Sepolia, Greece, and 13 years later scoring 21,000 points, I’m very appreciative.”
Help on the perimeter
Milwaukee also welcomed back Kevin Porter Jr., sidelined most of the season by a sprained ankle and torn meniscus. The guard started, logged 25 minutes and finished with 13 points, four rebounds and six assists.
“You have three ballhandlers now,” head coach Doc Rivers said, referring to Porter, Antetokounmpo and Ryan Rollins. “That was our plan to start the season. (Porter) surprised me with his conditioning and how sharp he looked.”
Behind Antetokounmpo’s burst and Porter’s steady return, the Bucks looked whole for the first time in weeks, ending their drought and restoring momentum in the Eastern Conference race.
Source: Hoops Wire
