For just the fifth time this season, the Milwaukee Bucks lost a game with their “Big 3” in the lineup.
The Denver Nuggets had no trouble with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday on Sunday, winning 136-100.
Milwaukee fell to 19-5 with those three starting. They dropped to 18-9 at home this season.
In a battle of MVPs, Nikola Jokic obviously won based on the score alone — Denver outscored the Bucks 71-43 in the second half. But, last year’s regular-season MVP was 7-for-19 from the field — his two misses 3-pointers. He scored 18 points and added 15 assists and nine rebounds.
Antetokounmpo, the NBA Finals MVP, was 9-for-19 from the field, 10 of 15 from the line in scoring 29 points — 22 in the first half — to go with nine rebounds and two assists.
Middleton scored just 9 points on 4-of-8 shooting. Holiday had 14 points, eight assists and five turnovers.
Denver shot a ridiculous 60.2% from the field and 53.5% (23-for-43) from beyond the arc. They had 39 assists on 53 field goals and just eight turnovers.
Milwaukee is back in action Tuesday, hosting the Washington Wizards.
TOP PHOTO: Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, right, drives to the basket against Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic (15) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)