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SPORTS Monday 2 March 2020

Antetokounmpo's 41 points lift Bucks past
Hornets 93-85

By STEVE REED line jumper, he grabbed by one, Antetokounmpo
AP Sports Writer an offensive rebound off a drove down the middle of
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — missed 3-pointer and was the lane, did a spin move
Giannis Antetokounmpo fouled, converting both to shake Bismack Biyombo
caught the ball on the free throws to push the lead and dunked in between
baseline with 2:39 left in to seven. Then he scored two defenders, drawing a
the game, turned and on a driving layup with 1:09 foul for a three-point play.
faded away to bury a left, sending the majority TIP-INS
9-foot jumper over the out- of the crowd streaming to Marvin Williams, who was
stretched hands of Miles the exits. Devonte Graham released by the Hornets last Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, right, looks
Bridges. Bridges shook his had 17 points and Willy month and signed with Mil- to drive against Charlotte Hornets forward P.J. Washington in the
head in disbelief as he Hernangomez added 10 waukee, received a warm first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday,
ran back down the court, points and 13 rebounds to ovation when he checked March 1, 2020.
knowing there was nothing lead the Hornets, who were into the game in the first Associated Press
more he could have done coming off a victory at de- quarter. ... Wesley Mat- HORNETS DEFENSE personnel, our attention to
to prevent the reigning fending champion Toronto thews received a techni- Charlotte took pride in be- detail and the pride we're
MVP from scoring. on Thursday night. cal foul in the fourth quar- coming the fist team this taking on the defensive
"It's a shot I feel comfort- The Hornets haven't drawn ter after arguing a call. ... season to hold Milwaukee end is giving us a shot ev-
able taking," Antetok- many fans this year, but Hip-hop artist Da Baby at- to double digits in points. ery night. Heck of an effort
ounmpo said. "I have been they showed up in droves tended the game. ... Gra- "I'm really pleased with defensively tonight. That's
working on it since year to watch the candidate ham and Terry Rozier were where we're at defensive- a hell of a team over there
three. Some nights I feel for a second straight MVP a combined 3 of 11 from ly," Hornets coach James offensively. I thought we
good and have the extra — and he put on quite a 3-point range. The Hornets Borrego said. "We're get- made them work for every-
pep in my step. As long as show. With six minutes left were 8 of 35 from beyond ting better. Obviously, I said thing and we made them
I get it high enough and and the Bucks leading the arc. this before the game, our work every possession."q
it goes over the rim it's a
good shot."
Antetokounmpo had plen-
ty of pep in his step, scoring
41 points — including the
last nine for his team — to
go along with 20 rebounds
and six assists and helping
the Milwaukee Bucks to
their sixth straight win, 93-85
over the Charlotte Hornets
on Sunday.
Brook Lopez added 16
points and seven rebounds
for the Bucks, who've won
20 of their last 22 games.
Milwaukee's run of scoring
100 points or more in 83
straight games ended, but
it still improved to a league-
best 52-8 on the season.
Antetokounmpo scored in
almost every way imagin-
able — on pick-and-rolls,
fast-break dunks, drives to
the basket and, of course,
the fadeaway jumper.
"He's tough to stop when
he's making shots like that,"
Bridges said. "It's kind of like
a Dirk (Nowitzki) shot. He's
7-foot almost and his re-
lease is so high it's tough to
block him. I felt like my arm
was right there."
Lopez called Antetok-
ounmpo's work ethic "in-
credible."
The Bucks led by two en-
tering the fourth quarter af-
ter turning the ball over 15
times in the first three quar-
ters. Charlotte hung tough
until the final two minutes,
when Antetokounmpo
took over. After the base-