Milwaukee (AP) – Giannis Antikonmo He scored a career-high 55 points on his comeback from a game absence, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Washington Wizards 123-113 on Tuesday to end their five-game winning streak.
Antetokounmpo scored at least 40 points in three straight games for the first time in his career. The two-time MVP missed Sunday’s 118-95 loss to the Wizards with a left knee injury.
The only other Bucks players to have had three consecutive 40-point games are Flynn Robinson in February 1969 and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar In February 1972.
Antetokounmpo also had 10 rebounds and seven assists, so he also had at least 40 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in three straight games. The only players in the NBA to perform similarly in three straight games are Elgin Baylor In 1961 and 1963, roommate wilt In 1963 and Russell Westbrook in 2016.
Antetokounmpo’s previous high for points was 52 against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 17, 2019.
It was Antetokounmpo’s second performance with at least 50 points since Game 6 of the 2021 NBA Finals, when his 50-point night gave the Bucks their first title in a half-century. Antetokounmpo also scored 50 in a 128-119 win over the Indiana Pacers on February 15, 2022.
Bradley Bell Washington returned after missing three games with a left hamstring injury, but played only 13 minutes. Bell scored eight points before a hamstring problem prevented him from playing in the second half.
Christaps Porzingis Scored 22 points for the Wizards Kyle Kuzma 20 added.
Brook Lopez He added 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Bucks, and Bobby Portis He had 17 points and 13 rebounds.
Antetokounmpo scored nine points during a 17-0 series run that began late in the second quarter, as the Bucks won for the second time in their last seven games. The Sunday Wizards beat them while they were playing without Antitokonmo, Junior Vacation s Chris Middleton.
Holiday played Tuesday after he missed three games with a non-COVID illness and scored six points in 19 minutes. Middleton missed the eighth straight game with soreness in his right knee and won’t play Wednesday with the Toronto Raptors.
Milwaukee’s 17-0 rally turned a 49-46 deficit into a 63-49 lead. Washington rallied and cut Milwaukee’s lead to 95-93 on two free throws Daniel Gafford With 10:04 to play, however, the Wizards were unable to tie the game or take back the lead.