Bucks beat Hornets 124-115 for 5th consecutive victory

MILWAUKEE(AP) — Khris Middleton is making the most of his limited minutes ashe works his way back from injuries that kept him from playing formuch of the season.

Middletonscored 18 points and sparked a third-quarter run that put theMilwaukee Bucks ahead for good as they beat the Charlotte Hornets124-115 on Tuesday night for their fifth straight victry.

“Right nowI’m trying to be as aggressive as I can,” Middleton said. “I knowit sounds simple or whatever, but that’s just the mindset I’mtrying to come up with, especially with my limited minutes.Hopefully as my minutes keep going (up), I keep the same mindset,because it’s been working.”

The Buckswithstood a triple-double from Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball, who had 27points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.

GiannisAntetokounmpo had 34 points and 18 rebounds to help the Bucksavenge one of their most embarrassing losses of the season. JrueHoliday added 15 points and a career-high 13 rebounds.

Middletonplayed 20 minutes, his longest outing since coming back from a soreright knee that caused him to miss 18 games. The three-timeAll-Staralsomissed the Bucks’ first 20 games while recovering from offseasonsurgery on his left wrist.

He has comeoff the bench in each of the Bucks’ five games since hisreturn.

“I started mycareer coming off the bench, so it doesn’t really bother me atall,” Middleton said. “I’ve been on the bench before, not playinggames, sometimes coming in first quarter, second quarter orsometimes not until the second half. I just know I have to stayready and have to be loose.”

In a gamethat featured 11 ties and 17 lead changes, Middleton helpedMilwaukee gain command. He scored 11 points during a 14-3 spurtlate in the third quarter that helped the Bucks take a 97-90 leadinto the final period.

“He got goingwhen they kind of took control of the game,” Hornets coach SteveClifford said.

Charlotte(16-36) entered the night with the fourth-worst record in the NBA,but theHornetswon 138-109 at Milwaukee on Jan. 6to hand the Bucks theirsecond-most lopsided loss of the season. The Hornets had 51 pointsin the opening period that night — matching the NBA record for afirst quarter — and limited Antetokounmpo to nine points.

Even afterscoring 50 points in a135-110victory over the New Orleans Pelicanson Sunday,Antetokounmpo spent part of his postgame press conference talkingabout how the Bucks needed to play better in the rematch with theHornets.

The Hornetsstill made this one interesting.

Milwaukeetook a 114-97 lead on Antetokounmpo’s 3-pointer with 7:13 left. butdidn’t make another basket until Antetokounmpo’s driving layup with27.1 seconds remaining.

Charlotte cutit to 118-113 when Mason Plumlee hit a layup and drew a foul with1:06 left. But Plumlee missed the ensuing free throw, and the Bucksput it away from there.

“Their recorddoesn’t give them justice,” Antetokounmpo said. “They’re a reallygood team. Or maybe they just play well against us. I don’tknow.”

Terry Rozierscored 20 points, Gordon Hayward 16, Jalen McDaniels 15 and P.J.Washington and Plumlee 14 each for Charlotte. Plumlee also had 14rebounds.

TIP-INS

Hornets:Ball’s triple-double was his second of the season and eighth of hiscareer. His other triple-double this season came Dec. 22, when hehad 25 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds in a126-105loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Bucks: PatConnaughton shot just 1 of 8 from 3-point range. He had gone 25 of49 from beyond the arc over his last eight games. … After getting asteal in the opening seconds of the second half, Holiday threw anoff-the-backboard pass to Antetokounmpo, who was unable to convertthe dunk attempt.