Bucks' big fourth quarter topples Warriors as Curry sits
MILWAUKEE -- Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 points and the Milwaukee Bucks used a big fourth quarter to pull away for a 129-118 victory over the short-handed Golden State Warriors on Saturday night.
The Warriors rested Stephen Curry in the second night of a road back-to-back and are still without Draymond Green. Coach Steve Kerr said he could return from his suspension Monday in Memphis or Wednesday at Utah as the Warriors conclude their four-game trip.
Damian Lillard contributed 27 points and Khris Middleton added 24, including 13 in the fourth quarter, and also had 10 assists. Milwaukee sank 19 of 27 shots (70%) in the final period and outscored the Warriors 46-37.
Golden State, led by Jonathan Kuminga and rookie point guard Brandin Podziemski, gave the Bucks all they could handle before Milwaukee secured the victory in the final minutes.
Kuminga finished with 28 points and Podziemski had 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting while adding 10 assists. Klay Thompson had 21 points.
Bucks rookie guard Andre Jackson Jr. posted his first pro double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in 27 minutes.
One of the highlights of the third quarter was Jackson's block on Golden State center Trayce Jackson-Davis, a play which led to Lillard's 3-pointer that gave the Bucks a 75-72 lead.
A rebound basket by Brook Lopez and an alley-oop from Middleton to Antetokounmpo gave the Bucks a 120-110 lead with 1:41 remaining and settled a back-and-forth contest.
The Bucks were 6 of 9 from 3-point range in the first quarter on the way to a 33-24 lead. Lillard had 12 points in the quarter.
But the Warriors responded with a 9-2 run to open the second quarter and grabbed a seven-point lead before settling for a 56-54 advantage at halftime.
Curry played 35 minutes and scored 27 points in Golden State's 140-131 victory at Chicago on Friday night.
"He's just wiped out right now," Kerr said before the game. "We've been relying on him heavily and (he has played) a lot of games. He's just worn out so he needs the night off."
Green was reinstated by the league on Jan. 7 after missing 12 games following his suspension for striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic on Dec. 12. Green worked out on the court prior to the game.
"He's been working out every day and he said he's coming around and feeling good," Kerr said.
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Warriors: Visit Memphis on Monday.
