Antetokounmpo scores 41 points, Bucks beat Pacers 141-131

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — When the Milwaukee Bucks needed a steadyingpresence Friday night at Indiana, Giannis Antetokounmpo provided it— even from the free-throw line.

The EasternConference All-Star captain finished with 41 points, 12 rebounds,six assists and made five of eight free throws during the finalfour minutes to help Bucks fend off Indiana’s second-half rally fora 141-131 victory.

“We had agood rhythm and were able to just hang on in the second half,”Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “These road wins are prettysweet and there were some real positive things, especially in thefirst half.”

JrueHoliday added 23 points and nine assists forMilwaukee,Khris Middelton added 17 despite playingjust 15 minutes.

Budenholzereven liked Antetokounmpo’s form on his late free throws as theCentral Division-leading Bucks won their thirdstraight,this one in front of a surprisinglyfriendly road crowd.

For thePacers, it was a familiar script — slow start, deep hole and latecomeback. They’ve won an NBA-leading 11 times after trailing bydouble digits this season, twice after trailing by 20 or morepoints.

This time,though, the 33-point first-half deficit was simply too much. MylesTurner led the Pacers with 24 points and Buddy Hield added 22 asIndiana lost for the ninth time in 10 games.

“The startswe’ve been getting off to have been atrocious,”T.J. McConnell said after finishing with19 pointsand nine assists. “It was the pace. When we getout and run and play with pace, we’re pretty good. When we can’tget a stop, you see what happened in the first half.′

Milwaukee took control quickly with abalanced attackand incredible 3-point shooting. TheBucks’ ninth 3 capped a 15-3 run to close the first quarter andgave them a 45-30 lead. The charge continued through the secondquarter as the margin expanded to 85-52 in the final minute of thehalf.

But Indianafinally answered in the third quarter, trimming it to 114-99 andthen methodically got closer in the fourth while repeatedly sendingAntetokounmpo to the free-throw line. With 3:27 to go, they werewithin 131-124 but the Bucks didn’t let Indiana get any closer.

TIP-INS

Bucks: The85 first-half points were a season high. ... Antetokounmpo wasplaying his third straight game since missing five games with aninjured right knee and was 7 of 18 on free throws. ... Brook Lopezhad 15 points and Pat Connaughton had 14 as the Bucks made 193s.

Pacers:Indiana lost its 10th straight in the series and its fourthstraight to the Bucks in Indy. ...Hield made five 3s tobreaka tie with Jason Richardson (1,608) for No. 31 onthe NBA’s career list. Hield now has 196 this season and 1,613 inhis career. ... Rookie Bennedict Mathurin had 21 points and eightrebounds.

THECAPTAIN

One dayafter Antetokounmpo was selected to his seventh All-Star Game andagain selected as captain of the Eastern Conference squad, Pacerscoach Rick Carlisle made it clear how much he thinks of theone-time NBA champion and two-time league MVP.

“He’s asdifficult a guy to guard as there is,” said Carlisle, winner of 885career games and the 2010 championship. “Giannis is very unique,and I don’t think there will ever be a player quite like him inthis league, maybe ever. He’s a beast, just an absolute beast.”

HALIBURTON UPDATE

Pacersguard Tyrese Haliburton missed his ninth consecutive game sincespraining his left elbow and left knee. When he initially got hurtagainst the New York Knicks on Jan. 11, team officials said hewould be re-evaluated in two weeks. Apparently, that timeline hasbeen revised.

“I thinkmaybe early next week,” Carlisle said when asked for an update.“But he’s doing well, doing well.”