WASHINGTON — Khris Middleton scored 40 points as the visiting Milwaukee Bucks overcame Bradley Beal’s career-high 55-point performance to earn a 137-134 overtime victory over the Washington Wizards on Monday.
Middleton shot 15 of 28 from the floor to excel in his second contest this season against the Wizards. He erupted for a career-high 51 points in Milwaukee’s 151-131 win over Washington on Jan. 28.
Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded 22 points and 14 rebounds before fouling out for the NBA-best Bucks, who have won 17 of their past 19 games.
Beal followed a 53-point performance in the Wizards’ 126-117 setback at Chicago on Sunday by making 19 of 33 shots — including 8 of 13 from 3-point range — against Milwaukee. Beal scored 47 points in the previous meeting with the Bucks.
Shabazz Napier scored 27 points off the bench for Washington, which has dropped three in a row after entering the All-Star break with five wins in its previous seven games.
After Beal sank a short jumper to stake the Wizards a 132-128 lead in overtime, Middleton countered with a pair of free throws, a jumper and a go-ahead 3-pointer with 31.2 seconds remaining.
Beal made a pair of free throws to bring Washington within one, but Middleton answered with two of his own with 7.8 seconds left. Troy Brown, Jr.’s 3-point attempt rimmed out as time expired.
Antetokounmpo was whistled for his fifth foul with 11:23 remaining in the fourth quarter and Milwaukee holding a 97-82 lead. Washington chipped away as Beal scored 17 straight Wizards points at one stretch before Antetokounmpo fouled out with 1:36 left in regulation.
Beal sank a 3-pointer and a layup to give the Wizards a 123-121 lead with 1:01 left before Eric Bledsoe made a pair of free throws with 54.6 seconds to go, forging a tie.
Washington’s bid to end the game in regulation was thwarted by Robin Lopez, who blocked Rui Hachimura’s reverse layup.
The Bucks overcame Antetokounmpo’s three fouls in the first half by shooting 57.1% (20 of 35) from the floor and 52.9% (9 of 17) from 3-point range to take a 57-47 lead into halftime. Middleton capped the scoring with an ankle-breaking drive for a layup just before the buzzer.
EMBIID POURS IN CAREER-BEST 49 AS 76ERS DOWN HAWKS
Joel Embiid scored a career-high 49 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lift the host Philadelphia 76ers past the Atlanta Hawks 129-112 on Monday.
Embiid produced 22 points in the fourth quarter and shot 14 of 15 overall from the free-throw line as the Sixers improved to a league-best 27-2 at home. It was also their 13th consecutive home victory.
Tobias Harris added 25 for the Sixers, who won again without injured All-Star guard Ben Simmons. Multiple media outlets reported that Simmons could be out for an extended period of time with more tests to be run on his ailing lower back.
Philadelphia’s Furkan Korkmaz also contributed 15 points, and Josh Richardson had 13.
Trae Young paced the Hawks with 28 points and 10 assists while De’Andre Hunter added 22 points. John Collins had 21 points and nine rebounds while Bruno Fernando and Cam Reddish each came off the bench to score 10 points.
The Hawks had their two-game winning streak snapped and dropped to 6-25 on the road.
The Sixers dominated the first half, bolting to a 21-point lead in the first quarter and holding a 41-24 edge at the end of the opening 12 minutes.
Korkmaz converted a four-point play with 1:20 left in the second for a 67-48 advantage. The Sixers led 69-52 at halftime thanks to Embiid’s 21 points and Harris’ 14.
Young was the only Hawks player in double figures by halftime with 10, as Atlanta committed 11 costly turnovers that led to 17 points.
When Young dropped in a 30-foot trey with 6:10 left in the third, the Hawks closed within 78-70. Hunter hit a shot in the paint and followed with a 3-pointer to cap a 10-0 run and cut the deficit to 78-75.
Young knocked down a 3-pointer with 0.5 seconds left in the third, and the Hawks led 92-91 after the quarter.
Embiid made two free throws with 9:32 remaining to put the Sixers ahead 100-98. Embiid stayed aggressive and hit another pair of free throws for a four-point Sixers advantage one minute later.
After an empty Hawks possession, Harris hit a trey for a 105-98 lead, enough of a cushion to propel the Sixers to another home win.
Embiid’s previous career high was 46 points, set on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 15, 2017. — Reuters
