Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks dunks during the second half of a game against the LA Clippers at Fiserv Forum on February 28, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
LOS ANGELES, United States – Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 17 of Milwaukee’s last 22 points Sunday as the Bucks roared home for a fifth straight NBA victory, 105-100 over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Down by seven early in the fourth quarter, the Bucks took a 101-100 lead on two Antetokounmpo free throws with 1:57 remaining.
With 10.3 seconds remaining, Khris Middleton found Antetokounmpo for a one-handed slam that made it 103-100 and after Kawhi Leonard’s potential game-tying three-pointer bounced off the front of the rim Middleton grabbed the rebound and made two free throws to seal the win.
The Clippers went scoreless over the last four minutes, with Leonard and Paul George both coming up empty on multiple possessions.
Two-time reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo finished with 36 points — his fourth straight game of 36 or more.
“Just being aggressive,” Antetokounmpo said of his mindset after the Clippers out-scored the Bucks 33-24 in the third quarter.
“I wasn’t playing the best basketball in the third quarter,” he added.
“I was just trying to be aggressive and I knew it was going to work out, tried to find my teammates, just go downhill and create opportunities so my teammates can have an open shot or I can go all the way to the rim or make something for myself.”
He added 14 rebounds and five assists and Middleton scored 19 points with eight assists for a Bucks team that welcomed back point guard Jrue Holiday after a 10-game absence because of NBA coronavirus protocols.
Holiday played 17 minutes off the bench, scoring two points.
Leonard led the Clippers with 25 points and nine rebounds and George added 16 points for Los Angeles.