The Milwaukee Bucks (10-9) fought tooth and nail to claim a convincing 124-114 win over the struggling Washington Wizards (2-16) on December 1.
Giannis Antetokounmpo made a triumphant return from a knee injury, exploding for 42 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists for his third triple-double in his last six games. Damian Lillard dropped 25 points and dished out 11 assists for his fifth double-double in six games while Brook Lopez added 18 points and 3 blocks.
After a rough start to the season, losing 8 of their first 10 games, the Bucks have turned their season around in dramatic fashion. They’ve now won six straight and 8 of their last 11, with their only loss coming in a controversial one-point defeat to the Hornets.
Jordan Poole took charge for the Wizards, finishing with 31 points and 7 assists. Malcolm Brogdon had 29 points and 11 rebounds. Jonas Valanciunas tallied 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists while Corey Kispert added 16.
Despite being at the bottom of the league and without Kyle Kuzma, the Wizards stayed competitive against the Bucks and had a chance to pull off an upset. But their turnovers and poor execution ultimately cost them the game. The loss marked their 14th straight defeat, leaving them winless in November.
Lillard and Antetokounmpo Lift Bucks Over Wizards
Giannis set the tone early, dropping 15 points in the first. But Washington hung tough and managed to take a one-point lead. The Bucks found their touch in the second, sinking six three-pointers to gain a slight edge at halftime.
The Bucks went on two separate runs in the third, building a double-digit lead each time. But Washington wouldn’t give in, responding with their potent inside game to stay in the contest.
Milwaukee extended their lead to (101-91) in the fourth, with Lopez and Lillard leading the way. But the Wizards fought back with a 10-2 run to stay in the game. Poole could have put his team in front but missed his three-pointer. Milwaukee took advantage, scoring the next 10 straight points to put the game away.
