Antetokounmpo helps Bucks beat short-handed Nuggets 107-99

MILWAUKEE(AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo’s ability to keep getting to thefree-throw line assured the Milwaukee Bucks would outlast theshort-handed Denver Nuggets.

Antetokounmpohad 33 points and 14 rebounds Wednesday night as the Bucks won107-99 over the Nuggets, who were playing without two-time reigningMVP Nikola Jokic and three other usual starters.

Antetokounmpowent 15 of 22 from the line and was two off his career high infree-throw attempts. All but one of those free-throw tries came inthe second half.

“Just triedto get to the rim, tried to be aggressive as much as I can, getdownhill, play within my strength,” Antetokounmpo said. “I tried toenjoy the game. I feel I sometimes get too locked in. I think I’vegot to enjoy the game more. Usually when I enjoy the game more, Iget to the free-throw line more, I get downhill more, I’m able tofind my teammates more and just make better plays.”

Jokic hadreturned after missing two games and recorded his fourth straighttriple-double Tuesday in a99-98victory at New Orleans.He rested the hamstring Wednesdayrather than playing on back-to-back nights.

His absencespoiled a potential matchup between the winners of the four lastMVPs. Antetokoumpo won the award in 2019 and 2020.

The WesternConference-leading Nuggets also were missing Jamal Murray (leftknee/injury management), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (sprained rightwrist) and Michael Porter Jr. (personal reasons). Porter missed athird straight game.

“We didn’tget the outcome that we wanted, but I saw a lot of great thingsfrom our group tonight that will help us moving forward,” Nuggetscoach Michael Malone said.

Jrue Holidayhad 20 points for the Bucks, who won despite committing 22turnovers. Pat Connaughton scored a season-high 19 points, matcheda career high with 12 rebounds and shot 7 of 8 overall and 5 of 6on 3-point attempts.

Aaron Gordonhad 26 points and 13 rebounds for the Nuggets. Bones Hyland added15 points.

While theNuggets were missing most of their top players, the Bucks alsoweren’t at full strength.

Milwaukee’sBobby Portis missed a game for the first time this seasonafterspraininghis right medial collateral ligament and rightwristMonday in a150-130triumph at Detroit.The Bucks said Portis will bere-evaluated in two weeks. Bucks rookie MarJon Beauchamp was outdue to patella tendinitis in his right knee.

Aftertrailing by 14 early in the fourth quarter, the Nuggets cut theBucks’ lead to 94-89 on Christian Braun’s 3-pointer with 5:01 left.The Bucks answered with five straight points and stayed ahead by atleast seven the rest of the way, with Antetokounmpo going 9 of 15from the line in the fourth quarter.

“It’s achallenge,” Malone said. “The guy is great in transition. He’sgreat in the paint. And he’s by far the best in the NBA in terms ofdrawing fouls and living at the free-throw line.”

TIP-INS

Nuggets: Withinjuries leaving the Nuggets at far below full strength, VlatkoCancar made his first start of the season and third of his career,Braun made his second career start and Zeke Nnaji made his fifthstart of the season and seventh of his career.

Bucks: CoachMike Budenholzer said Portis’ injury hasn’t impacted the status ofreserve center Serge Ibaka, who isn’t with the team and hasn’tplayed since Jan. 1. The Bucks and Ibaka mutually agreed that theteam would try to explore a trade involving the 6-11 veteran. ...Khris Middleton came off the bench for the second straight time ashe works his way back gradually from a sore right knee. Middleton,who has played just nine games this season, scored 10 points in 15minutes.