Antetokounmpo scores 50 for Bucks in NBA

Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has scored 50 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as his Milwaukee Bucks trounced New Orleans 135-110. Antetokounmpo collected 29 points and 10 boards in the first half alone, helping the Bucks (33-17) build a big lead early, and they never trailed in Sunday's home match. This was the Greek superstar's 10th game this season with at least 40 points, already tying the career high for 40-point games that he set last season. "He made it look easy all night long," Bucks forward Khris Middleton said after Milwaukee won a fourth straight to consolidate third place in the Eastern Conference standings. "He's playing efficient. He's playing dominant. He's playing unstoppable. He's playing like the MVP again. We need that from him every night, and he knows that." In his 695th career regular-season game, his 50 points were just five off the career high he set last month in a 123-113 victory over the Washington Wizards. The league's MVP in 2019 and 2020 shot 20-of-26 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from three-point range, and he went 7-of-12 on free-throw attempts. "I'm just going to keep creating the way people in the past created, the way I can go back and watch Magic Johnson highlights, Kevin Garnett highlights, Kobe Bryant highlights, Allen Iverson highlights, KD's, LeBron's," Antetokounmpo said. "They've created so much art throughout the years, and we can go back and see it and admire what they did." New Orleans (26-24) were missing their top three scorers in Zion Williamson (hamstring), Brandon Ingram (toe) and CJ McCollum (thumb). Australia's Dyson Daniels was also absent due to and ankle injury. Jose Alvarado stepped up to lead the Pels with 18 points, while Trey Murphy III and Jonas Valanciunas had 16 each. In Memphis, Ja Morant registered his second consecutive triple-double (27 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds), Jaren Jackson Jr added 28 points as the host Grizzlies overcame a lacklustre first half to defeat the Indiana Pacers 112-100. Turkey's Cedi Osman tied his career-high with 29 points, Darius Garland had 16 points and 10 assists, and Cleveland led Los Angeles Clippers wire-to-wire for a 122-99 home win. In Charlotte, LaMelo Ball scored 13 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter as the Hornets beat the Miami Heat 122-117. Terry Rozier scored 31 points, P.J. Washington added 27 and Gordon Hayward was a perfect 7-of-7 from the field for 20 points for the hosts.

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Antetokounmpo scores 50 for Bucks in NBA