Field Level Media
Mar 30, 2018
Giannis Antetokounmpo had a game-high 32 points and Khris Middleton added 23 Thursday night as the Milwaukee Bucks ran past the Golden State Warriors 116-107 in Oakland, Calif., in a game that featured the ejection of Kevin Durant.
Eric Bledsoe scored 18 of his 20 points and Antetokounmpo had 17 of his 32 in the second and third quarters, a 24-minute span during which the Bucks outscored the Warriors 63-45 to take command.
In his return from a six-game absence caused by fractured rib cartilage, Durant had 10 points and six assists in 17 minutes getting a bang-bang, two-technical ejection from referee Tre Maddox for arguing a call in the final seconds of the second period.
The ejection was the league-leading fifth of the season for Durant.
The Warriors also welcomed back Draymond Green from a three-game absence. He had 11 points, five rebounds and six assists in 28 minutes.
Antetokounmpo hit 14 of his 18 shots en route to the fourth 30-point outing in his past seven games. He also found time for four rebounds and five assists.
The Bucks shot 55.2 percent from the floor for the game, with Bledsoe connecting on 9 of 11 attempts. He also had six assists.
Jabari Parker contributed 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench for the Bucks (40-35), who remained a half-game behind Miami (41-35) in the battle for the seventh playoff position in the East.
The Bucks, who have yet to clinch a playoff spot, now lead the Detroit Pistons (35-40) by five games with seven games remaining.
Quinn Cook had a career-best 30 points for the Warriors, who were once again without the injured All-Star backcourt tandem of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
Cook connected on all five of his 3-point attempts and 12 of his 15 field-goal attempts in all.
JaVale McGee and Patrick McCaw added 12 points apiece for the Warriors, who lost despite shooting 54.7 percent from the floor.
The loss assured the Warriors (54-21) of finishing in the No. 2 playoff position in the Western Conference. The Houston Rockets (61-14) clinched the top seed.
--Field Level Media