Giannis Has 3rd Straight Triple-Double, Bucks Beat Wizards
WASHINGTON (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his third consecutive triple-double to lead the Milwaukee Bucks past the Washington Wizards 133-122 Monday night for their fourth consecutive victory.
The Bucks pulled away late after letting a 26-point third-quarter lead slip to five midway through the fourth. When the Wizards got within seven in the final minutes, Antetokounmpo scored the next four points to make it a double-digit game again.
Antetokounmpo combined for 64 points, 26 rebounds and 21 assists in the two-game series at Washington that Milwaukee swept. He also had 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in the first triple-double of this run against the New York Knicks last week.
Antetokounmpo became the third player this season with a triple-double in three games in a row, joining Washington's Russell Westbrook, who did it twice, and Miami's Jimmy Butler. His seventh career 30-point triple-double passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most in team history, and he's the first Bucks player to have three triple-doubles in a row.
The Bucks kept pace with Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia and are now two games back with Brooklyn in between.
Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 37 points after sitting out Saturday to rest a sore left knee. Russell Westbrook had 23 points and a season-high 17 assists. Washington has lost four in a row.
TIP-INS
Bucks: Kris Middelton rebounded from a 1 for 5 start to score 23 points. ... Brook Lopez added 22. ... F Axel Toupane was inactive the day after signing a two-way contract.
Wizards: F Davis Bertans (right calf tightness) and G Raul Neto (left rib contusion) were cleared to play about an hour before tipoff after being considered questionable. Bertans made three of his five 3-point attempts to finish with nine points. ... Rui Hachimura scored 22 points on 9-of-18 shooting.
POOR MAN'S BROOKS
Asked if he saw a little of himself in Neto, Wizards coach Scott Brooks joked, "He's definitely a poor man's me: very poor, but he tries."
"I'm sure when he was growing up in Brazil that I was his favorite player," Brooks added before getting serious. "I like guys that battle. When you play a normal season, 82 games, if you don't have scrappers and grinders, January and February become very difficult, and you need guys like him."
UP NEXT
Bucks: Visit the 76ers on Wednesday with a chance to close the gap in the East standings.
Wizards: Host the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday in the third of a five-game home stand.
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