Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts to a three point shot during the first half of a game against the Atlanta Hawks at Fiserv Forum on March 09, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Stacy Revere/Getty Images/AFP
Giannis Antetokounmpo poured in 43 points to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 124-115 victory over the visiting Atlanta Hawks Wednesday night to extend the Bucks’ winning streak to six games.
The Hawks had no answer for the two-time MVP, who went 15-for-22 from the field and grabbed 12 rebounds. Bobby Portis chipped in with 23 points and 15 rebounds, and Khris Middleton supplied 23 points and eight assists.
Milwaukee got a lot of its offensive production down low, scoring 62 points in the paint compared to 46 for the Hawks.
Trae Young led Atlanta with 27 points on 8-of-15 shooting and added 11 assists. De’Andre Hunter chipped in 17 points, Kevin Huerter had 16 and reserve Danilo Gallinari contributed 14.
Following a layup from Hunter that brought the Hawks within six with 4:17 left in the fourth, Atlanta’s comeback chances were suffocated by a 9-6 run from the Bucks to close the game.
🔥 39 PTS for Giannis 🔥
Watch Here: https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa pic.twitter.com/f4fwl5jLJ0
— NBA (@NBA) March 10, 2022
Milwaukee shot 53.1 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from behind the arc in the first half to go into the break with a 68-54 lead. Portis and Giannis each had 19 points, and Middleton had 13, all of which came in the second quarter.
Gallinari paced Atlanta with 12 points in the first half, and Huerter added 11. John Collins was silenced in the first half, as he was held scoreless and missed all seven of his field goal attempts.
The Hawks pulled within five in the third quarter thanks to a late 8-2 run. Young got hot in the period, scoring 12 points to cut Atlanta’s deficit.
Giannis was firing on all cylinders out of the gate, scoring 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting through the first 12 minutes of action.
With the loss, the Hawks dropped two games of their three-game road trip and will now look to get back on track during a three-game homestand that starts Friday vs. the Los Angeles Clippers.