Bucks trounce Raptors behind Antetokounmpo near triple-double

LOS ANGELES, USA – Giannis Antetokounmpo flirted with a triple double as the Milwaukee Bucks beat defending champion Toronto Raptors, 115-105, in their first meeting the since Eastern Conference finals last season. 

Antetokounmpo scored 36 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and added 8 assists for the Bucks, who built up a 26-point lead then held on for the victory.

Eric Bledsoe added 14 points and 9 rebounds for the Bucks, while Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez each had 11 points.

Kyle Lowry led Toronto with 36 points and Pascal Siakam had 16 points before fouling out late in the 4th quarter. 

Fred VanVleet added 12 points, Serge Ibaka scored 11, and Marc Gasol tallied 10 points and 12 rebounds.

The Raptors rallied in the fourth by cutting the lead to just 4 points but couldn’t win on the road.

Elsewhere, Andrew Drummond finished with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds for the third consecutive game as the Detroit Pistons held on to beat the Brooklyn Nets, 113-109.

Drummond had 25 points to go with his 20 rebounds for the Pistons, who were playing their second game in as many nights.

He added 6 assists and 5 blocks to go 20-20 for the fourth time in 7 games.

Bruce Brown added career highs of 22 points and 7 assists, and Luke Kennard finished with 24 points and helped seal the win with a driving basket and two free throws in the final 30 seconds.

The game was a series of runs by both teams with the Pistons taking a 14-point lead at one stage of the 3rd quarter after the Nets outscored Detroit by 15 in the 2nd quarter.

Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving finished with a triple-double of 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Taurean Prince added 20 points and Joe Harris had 18.

Spencer Dinwiddie hit a free throw with 7 seconds remaining, and Drummond did the same with six seconds left to put the Pistons up 111-108.

Prince then split a pair, missing the second on purpose, and Drummond grabbed the rebound and made a pair with three seconds left to clinch the victory.

In San Francisco, Terry Rozier made a short go-ahead jumper then added two free throws with 4 seconds left and the Charlotte Hornets defeated the injury-riddled Golden State Warriors, 93-87.

Erich Paschall had a season-high 25 points for Golden State while starting in place of injured Draymond Green. 

Green suffered a torn ligament in his left index finger on Friday, joining a long list of injured Warriors including Stephen Curry, who had hand surgery this week. – Rappler.com