By Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a monster stat line on Saturday, notching his first career 40-point triple-double as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Washington Wizards 124-114.
The ‘Greek Freak’ recorded 42 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists on 62.5% shooting from the field in the victory, for his third triple-double in his last six games. He returned to the lineup having not played against the Miami Heat on Tuesday, due to swelling in his left knee.
The win moves Milwaukee to 10-9 on the season, the first time that the Bucks have been over .500 since winning their season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite possessing All-Star talent on the roster, the squad struggled to begin the year and lost eight of its first 10 games.
Now, Milwaukee has won six in a row and Antetokounmpo believes that a switch has been flipped.
“We know how to win games,” he said in his postgame interview. “If it was the third game or the fourth game of the season, we probably would have lost that game. But now we know, no matter if it looks pretty, if we’re playing well, we’ve gotta figure out ways to win the game.”
Antetokounmpo is averaging a career-high 32.9 points per game which leads the league and is in the top five in rebounds per game with 11.9.
“He’s been amazing,” head coach Doc Rivers said of his star player after the game. “He’s scoring but more importantly he’s getting everybody involved. It’s so difficult to help off a passer that can score. There’s a lot of guys in this league that can score that ain’t passing.”
The Bucks entered this season with renewed championship aspirations after trading for eight-time All-Star Damian Lillard in the 2023 offseason and hiring Rivers as head coach later in that campaign. They suffered an embarrassing first round exit to the Indiana Pacers in last year’s Playoffs.
Lillard added 25 points and had 10 assists against the Wizards, the third time that he and Antetokounmpo have both recorded at least 25 points and 10 assists in the same game, the most by any pair of teammates in NBA history.
It was another disappointing loss for a young Washington squad, who are still in the early stages of a rebuild. Wizards fans likely already have their eyes on next year’s draft lottery, having watched their team lose their 14th game in a row and drop to 2-16 for the season.
The backcourt duo of Jordan Poole and Malcolm Brogdon had an impressive showing though, scoring 31 and 29 points respectively as Washington refused to go away for much of the game, though mistakes in the home stretch allowed the Bucks to secure the win.
The Wizards face a tall task if they are to snap their losing streak in their next game as they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers – owners of the NBA’s best record at 17-3 – in the NBA Cup on Tuesday.
Milwaukee is also in action on Tuesday, facing the Detroit Pistons to determine the winner of East Group B in the Cup.
