Antetokounmpo, Brogdon fuel Bucks past Wizards
MILWAUKEE -- Giannis Antetokounmpo and Malcom Brogdon set career highs Friday night, scoring 39 and 17 points, respectively, to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 123-96 rout of the Washington Wizards at the Bradley Center.
Antetokounmpo made 12 of 19 shots and 15 of 17 free throw attempts while pulling down eight rebounds with six assists in 33 minutes of work.
Jabari Parker added 21 points with eight boards while Greg Monroe finished with 12 and Tony Snell scored 11 on 5 of 8 shooting.
Milwaukee shot 56.3 percent from the field and made 9 of 25 3-pointers.
Washington got 18 each from John Wall and Otto Porter while Markieff Morris kicked in 14 and Bradley Beal 10. The Wizards shot 46 percent and made 7 of 24 3s but gave up 19 points on 15 turnovers.
After back-to-back tough losses to the Eastern Conference-leading Cavaliers, the Bucks came out firing against the Wizards.
Milwaukee knocked down 15 of 22 shots in the opening quarter to take a 37-29 lead.
The Wizards heated up in the second and connected on 11 of 18 attempts but the Bucks kept pace and stretched their lead to 20 before going into the break up, 73-58.
Antetokounmpo scored 24 in the first half including 14 in the second quarter. Parker added 14 more while grabbing six rebounds and Monroe was perfect on four attempts from the floor and had 10 at halftime.
The Bucks cooled off in the third, shooting 43 percent but got 3-pointers from Parker, Brogdon and Matthew Dellavedova while the Wizards missed all eight of their attempts from beyond the arc.
NOTES: Bucks F Michael Beasley was expected to return to action Friday after missing the last four games with a sprained left foot, but was a late scratch and did not dress. Beasley has appeared in 23 games this season, averaging 8.3 points and 3.6 rebounds in 15.7 minutes of action. ... Milwaukee was without G Rashad Vaughn, who suffered a sprained left ankle earlier in the week. ... Wizards F Otto Porter was available Friday despite suffering from back spasms the last few days. The issue limited him to just 12 minutes of action Wednesday night in a 109-97 victory. ... Washington began the day 10th in the Eastern Conference, 1 1/2 games behind Milwaukee, which currently holds the ninth spot. ... Washington won eight of its last 10 games against Milwaukee, including five straight in Washington. The Bucks' two victories in that stretch, however, have come in their last two home games with the Wizards in Milwaukee.