The Sports Xchange
Dec 19, 2017
MILWAUKEE -- Giannis Antetokounmpo's three-point play with 5.9 seconds left capped off a 27-point night and halted a furious comeback attempt as the Milwaukee Bucks snapped a three-game losing streak with a 119-116 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers Tuesday night at the Bradley Center.
LeBron James led the Cavaliers (23-9) with 39 points but wasn't on the floor in the fourth as Cleveland used a 24-2 run to dig out of a deep deficit.
Jeff Green and Dwyane Wade scored nine each in the final quarter, finishing with 13 and 14 points, respectively.
Eric Bledsoe had a big night for Milwaukee (16-13), scoring 26 on 10-of-16 shooting including a pair of 3-pointers as the Bucks made 11 of 29 from distance and shot 52.4 percent overall.
A Malcolm Brogdon 3-pointer with 8:18 left in the half gave Milwaukee its first lead of the night. Middleton followed a Cleveland turnover with a long 2 that made it 43-40 and after Cleveland came up empty again, Middleton converted a four-point play put the Bucks up seven with 7:07 remaining.
Bledsoe stretched the lead to 10 on a three-point play with 4:44 and the Bucks would lead by as many as 14 before going into halftime up 69-58.
Eleven third-quarter points from John Henson kept the Bucks in control and Milwaukee took a 20-point lead early in the fourth quarter before the Cavs mounted their comeback.
Jeff Green sank a pair of free throws with 7:29 to play, getting the Cavs within single digits. Milwaukee went back to its starters but Green hit two more and it was 105-97.
Wade hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put Cleveland in front with 5:10 to play.
Brogdon stopped the bleeding with a corner 3, putting the Bucks back in front 108-107 with 3:38 left and snapping a six-minute scoring drought.
James scored six in a row to put Cleveland ahead by one before Snell drained a pull-up 3 with 58.9 seconds left and the Bucks led 115-113.
NOTES: PG Matthew Dellavedova returned to Milwaukee's starting lineup Tuesday after missing 15 games with left knee tendinitis. Tony Snell also returned to action for the Bucks. ... Dwyane Wade was back for the Cavaliers after sitting out Cleveland's victory at Washington on Sunday. ... Cleveland had won five in a row against the Bucks, including the first two meetings this season.