MILWAUKEE — The resurgent Washington Wizards hit a 7-foot-tall, 243-pound bump within the highway Tuesday night time at Fiserv Discussion board within the type, in fact, of Giannis Antetokounmpo. The 2-time MVP and his Milwaukee Bucks have been probably the most strong take a look at the Wizards had confronted since Delon Wright and Rui Hachimura returned from accidents late final month, and Washington regarded threatening — for about 16 minutes.
Washington, D.C
Career night by Giannis Antetokounmpo is much too much for Wizards to overcome
After that, Antetokounmpo thundered up and down the courtroom to attain a career-high 55 factors and add 10 rebounds and 7 assists within the Bucks’ 123-113 win.
His achievement joins the pantheon of astounding and starry performances dotting the NBA these days. Following Donovan Mitchell’s 71-point sport for Cleveland on Monday, Antetokounmpo logged the league’s fifth 50-point sport up to now few days. Dallas’s Luka Doncic scored 60 factors (and added a mere 21 rebounds and 10 assists) final week in a win over New York.
Antetokounmpo was rewarded with a water-bottle bathe from his teammates on the courtroom. For the Wizards, there was no purpose to have a good time.
On high of the loss — which ended a five-game profitable streak — the Wizards once more misplaced Bradley Beal to left hamstring soreness after he returned from a three-game absence to play many of the first half. He felt the hamstring tighten up after checking again in with 6:54 to play within the half, subbed out with 2:29 remaining and by no means returned. He had eight factors in 13 minutes.
“I attempted to make just a few accelerations, and [it] sort of prevented me from doing that,” Beal mentioned. “It’s irritating as a result of I didn’t have that the final 48 hours. No one needs to play greater than me. However I’ve simply obtained to be good about it.”
Beal mentioned he couldn’t place even a free timeline on his full return as a result of hamstrings are tough — he’ll really feel advantageous in the future, he mentioned, then attempt to do one thing explosive on the courtroom and really feel the damage once more.
That is his third prolonged absence of the season after lacking six video games with a proper hamstring pressure in December and 5 video games in November after testing optimistic for the coronavirus.
“It’s powerful. It’s irritating. I all the time preach your finest capacity is your availability, and I haven’t been that. That piece is unquestionably irritating, however I’ve to be inspired and perceive that there’s nonetheless extra that I can contribute to the sport,” Beal mentioned. “… It’s powerful as a result of we’re enjoying good ball. I wish to be part of that.”
Washington (17-22) hung powerful with out him, even working its manner inside 5 factors late within the fourth quarter. However after a powerful begin, the Wizards have been all the time chasing Milwaukee (24-13) and by no means asserting themselves.
The sport turned on Antetokounmpo’s whim. Each time the Bucks’ lead obtained too small within the fourth quarter, he was there with a suavely drawn foul or a bruising layup to bump it again to a cushty edge. Though their protection was inconsistent, the Wizards didn’t disintegrate as a lot as they didn’t have something game-changing to tug out of their toolbox down the stretch. That they had no ringer to herald late, no additional dimension to point out the Bucks.
The Wizards spent many of the sport erasing 10-point deficits, solely to fall again right into a gap minutes later. The primary and most consequential of such stretches got here halfway by means of the second quarter, when Washington did effectively capitalizing on turnovers. However the Bucks, along with having a human cheat code in Antetokounmpo, proved to be wonderful problem-solvers.
With the rating tied at 49, Antetokounmpo promptly scored seven straight factors in opposition to a Washington protection that had grown comfy. The Bucks put some greater our bodies on the courtroom — 6-11 Bobby Portis and 6-7 MarJon Beauchamp — to match up with Washington’s guards on the opposite finish. The Wizards’ offensive circulation dried up, and Antetokounmpo hogged rebounds to log second-chance factors.
Washington’s last bucket of the half got here with 3:55 remaining, and the Bucks closed on a 15-0 run to take a 61-49 lead into halftime. That run wrested management from Washington and set the tone for the remainder of the sport.
“There needs to be just a bit extra urgency to get under the ball,” Coach Wes Unseld Jr. mentioned when requested how the Wizards might have defended Antetokounmpo higher. “There needs to be a wall as a result of it solely takes him three, perhaps 4 dribbles to go the size of the ground. So getting our bodies under that, present him the gang early and take away these seams — powerful to do in transition, however that’s the one manner.”
Kristaps Porzingis led the Wizards with 22 factors and added 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Kyle Kuzma had 20 factors, and Daniel Gafford chipped in 11 factors and 12 rebounds. Three scorers stepped up off the bench, with Hachimura, Deni Avdija and Corey Kispert scoring 12 factors every.
Brook Lopez added 21 factors and 12 rebounds for Milwaukee, however Antetokounmpo supplied greater than sufficient on his personal.
Right here’s what else to know in regards to the Wizards’ loss:
Doncic fueled the NBA’s scoring surge along with his 60-point sport Dec. 27. He adopted that with 51 factors Dec. 31 in opposition to San Antonio. Golden State’s Klay Thompson had 54 factors in opposition to Atlanta the identical night time Mitchell dropped 71 on Chicago.
Wisconsin native Johnny Davis stayed in Washington to obtain therapy on a hip damage, Unseld mentioned. Though Davis, the No. 10 choose in final yr’s draft, has been on project with the Wizards’ G League affiliate for greater than half of the season, it wouldn’t have been uncommon for him to journey with the Wizards for a homecoming journey — particularly with the crew in Milwaukee for 4 days.