Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo sidestepped a relatively slow start only to flirt with a 40-point triple-double Friday, a reflection of his unrelenting excellence.
And while Milwaukee would not have carved out a 126-110 victory over the Chicago Bulls without Antetokounmpo standing in the gap, the Bucks were equally bolstered by the contribution of those supporting their superstar. Milwaukee, which will host the Houston Rockets on Sunday, earned its biggest win of the season by riding the performances of its valuable co-stars.
Myles Turner enjoyed the best game of his brief Bucks career by pairing 23 points with eight rebounds while drilling five 3-pointers and recording four steals. The Bucks are still working on constructing an offense that utilizes Turner as a threat and cohort with Antetokounmpo.
“This is our ninth game together. We’re getting comfortable with one another,” Antetokounmpo said after posting 41 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists. “He (Turner) knows when to go, when to pop. He knows when I’m coming down the floor and what space to be in to be my outlet. We just try to play well off one another.
“As we move forward, it’s going to look better and better and better.”
Kyle Kuzma added 11 points and eight boards off the bench and played a critical defensive role against Bulls guard Josh Giddey. The Bucks have asked Kuzma to flex his versatility, both as a two-way talent and also in terms of his spot in the rotation, which varies based on the scenario.
“I’m just so proud of him because he’s really accepted his role,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said of Kuzma. “And we told him there are nights he’s going to start, there are nights he’s going to come off the bench. You’ve just got to stay mentally ready because that’s a lot, and he’s been able to do that.”
But for all the celebrating of their other players, the Bucks remain reliant upon Antetokounmpo and his singular brilliance. He closed Friday second in scoring (33.4 points per game) and tied with Nikola Jokic atop the league, averaging 12.9 rebounds. And, despite being a high-volume scorer, Antetokounmpo is seventh in field goal percentage at 64.2%. He remains otherworldly.
“He just keeps doing it,” Rivers said of Antetokounmpo. “Every night.”
The Rockets had their five-game winning streak snapped with a 121-110 road loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Friday. Houston again scored with efficiency, shooting 48.1% from deep (13 of 27) while making 19 of 21 free throws. But the Rockets’ issues with ball security continue to undermine progress.
“Our scoring isn’t the problem,” guard Reed Sheppard said after Houston committed 24 turnovers. “We’ve got to come together in situations where teams are trapping and junking it up and just make the right, simple play. Which we will.”
The Rockets conceded 33 points off their turnovers. Kevin Durant scored 24 points but suffered through eight turnovers as the Rockets continue to scuffle putting him in position to score with ease while working in tandem with rising All-Star center Alperen Sengun.
“I’ve got to be more patient,” Durant said. “Make stronger passes and better reads.”
