LOS ANGELES — Giannis Antetokounmpo totaled 29 points and 15 rebounds in 22 minutes Monday night as the host Milwaukee Bucks easily extended their winning streak to 12 games with a wire-to-wire, 132-88 rout of the New York Knicks.
Antetokounmpo recorded his 20th double-double in 21 games, getting his latest one in 15 minutes into the first half when the Bucks asserted their will. The only time Antetokounmpo failed to get a double-double was two nights ago, when he finished a rebound shy on Saturday in Milwaukee’s 41-point win over Charlotte.
Antetokounmpo shot 10 of 14 from the floor, hit three 3-pointers and did not play for the final 16:54, spending the entire fourth quarter cheering on his teammates, including his brother Thanasis.
The Bucks scored the game’s first seven points and led by double digits for the final 38:48. They held an 18-point lead after the opening quarter, led 72-45 at halftime, built a 100-62 lead through three quarters and posted their most lopsided win of the season.
Milwaukee improved to an NBA-best 18-3 and won a 12th straight game for the first time since 1982. The Bucks matched the fifth-longest winning streak in team history.
D.J. Wilson added a career-high 19 points and Khris Middleton finished with 16 points for Milwaukee, which shot 55.8 percent and hit 16 3-pointers. Thirteen different players scored for the Bucks, who beat the Knicks for the ninth time in the last 10 meetings.
George Hill contributed 14, Donte DiVincenzo had 11 and Thanasis Antetokounmpo finished with a career-high 10.
New York dropped to 4-17 and lost its seventh straight game. The Knicks played without leading scorer Marcus Morris (neck strain) and starting point guard Frank Ntilikina (back) and spent the first three quarters threatening to the break the team record for lowest shooting percentage — 27.4 percent on March 11, 2013, at Golden State.
Julius Randle led the Knicks with 19 points, but New York’s other four starters — Kevin Knox, Taj Gibson, RJ Barrett, and Dennis Smith Jr. — combined for 18 points on 5-of-33 shooting. Barrett finished 0-for-9 from the floor and did not hit a field goal for the first time in his career.
The Knicks missed 20 of their first 24 shots, shot 27.1% in the first half and were shooting 25.7% through the third quarter before finishing at 30.8%. — Reuters
