Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) of the Milwaukee Bucks is fouled as he drives to the basket between Alex Len (25) of the Sacramento Kings and DeMar DeRozan during the second half of an NBA basketball game, the Tuesday, January 14, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds for his 50th career triple-double as the Milwaukee Bucks beat Sacramento 130-115 Tuesday night to end the Kings’ seven-game winning streak.
Antetokounmpo’s triple-double was his fifth of the season. He had a sixth-place finish in the Bucks’ NBA Cup win over Oklahoma City, but player stats from that game are unofficial.
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Damian Lillard had 24 points, Brook Lopez 21 and AJ Green 16 for the Bucks, who never trailed and led by 28.
READ: NBA: Jalen Brunson scores 44 points, Knicks beat Bucks
33 points | 11 REC | 13 HNA
Giannis drops his 50th career triple-double (12th in history) to lift the @Deer! pic.twitter.com/Rki5uByYUR
— NBA (@NBA) January 15, 2025
DeMar DeRozan scored 28, De’Aaron Fox 20 and Keon Ellis 18 for Sacramento. Domantas Sabonis had 16 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.
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Sacramento’s Malik Monk did not play because of right groin soreness. The Bucks didn’t have Khris Middleton (ankle injury management) or Gary Trent Jr. (hip flexor strain).
Takeaways
Kings: Sacramento fell to 7-2 under interim head coach Doug Christie. Sacramento hadn’t lost since a 132-122 road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 28, the day after Mike Brown was fired.
Bucks: Milwaukee recorded its highest point total of the season and led by as many as 28 early in the second quarter, as the Bucks bounced back two nights after a 140-106 loss at New York.
READ: NBA: Giannis Antetokounmpo breaks Bucks’ double-double mark against Spurs
Key moment
In a play that exemplified Milwaukee’s dominant first quarter, Lillard got just his fifth block of the season as he jumped and extended his left hand to thwart an Ellis layup attempt. Sacramento’s Keegan Murray grabbed the rebound but missed a putback attempt, then Lopez scored a 3-pointer at the other end of the court to extend the Bucks’ lead to 15-11.
Key statistics
The Bucks took control, going on a 21-2 spurt late in the first quarter.
To be continued
The Kings host the Houston Rockets on Thursday, while the Bucks stay home to face the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.
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