MILWAUKEE — As the final buzzer sounded on the Milwaukee Bucks’ 127-120 overtime win over the Detroit Pistons sounded, Giannis Antetokounmpo walked to midcourt and asked for the crowd inside Fiserv Forum to make some noise. The fans obliged with MVP chants after another spectacular effort from their hero.
Antetokounmpo poured in 59 points on 21 of 34 from the field and 16 of 17 from the free-throw line for the second-highest scoring total of his career (his career-high is 64 points) and the best by a player this season. He added 14 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and three blocks for good measure.
The Greek Freak started the night by scoring 22 points in the first quarter — the most he’s scored in an opening frame in his career — and was the only Bucks player to make a shot in the first 13 minutes and 47 seconds of the game. With Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis all sidelined, it appeared as though Antetokounmpo might need 80 to get the struggling Bucks a much-needed win.
He didn’t quite get there, but he did more than his fair share. Between his own points and the ones he created with his assists, Antetokounmpo accounted for 76 of the Bucks’ 127 points (63.3%).
Ironically, Antetokounmpo almost blew the game in the final second of regulation when he fouled Ron Holland II on a lob play with the game tied. The Pistons rookie missed both free throws, however, which sent the game to overtime and gave the Bucks a second chance.
Antetokounmpo refused to let it go to waste. He scored or assisted on 14 of the Bucks’ 16 points in the extra frame.
This was the 10th 50-point game of Antetokounmpo’s career, which is tied for the most in Bucks history with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
With the result, the Bucks have won consecutive games for the first time all season and improved to 4-8.
