MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 30 points while Bobby Portis finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Milwaukee Bucks over the Golden State Warriors 128-111 Tuesday night in a matchup of the NBA’s last two champions.
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Stephen Curry scored 20 points despite missing seven of 10 3-point attempts. Jordan Poole added 18 and Klay Thompson 14 for Golden State.
The Warriors dropped their third straight road game and fell to 2-12 away from home this season. The defending NBA champions have allowed at least 114 points in every road game this season.
Looking to bounce back from a Sunday night loss at Houston in which they were held to 92 points – their second-lowest total in a game this season – the Bucks made 45 of 82 shots (54.9%).
Portis scored six points and grabbed a pair of rebounds during his first three minutes on the floor, sparking a 16-6 run that helped the Bucks take a 38-27 lead after one quarter.
The Warriors trailed 64-52 at the break. Golden State stayed close by making 11 3s in the opening half, and hit 20 of 50 3-point tries in the game.
An 8-2 run to open the second half helped Milwaukee create some separation. Khris Middleton pushed the Bucks’ lead to 21 with a 3-pointer with 7:05 left in the quarter.
TIP-INS
Warriors: With the game out of hand and the Warriors set to play again Wednesday night, coach Steve Kerr cleared his bench early in the fourth quarter. That allowed Patrick Baldwin Jr. to get some playing time in the city where he was a prep standout and spent one season at UW-Milwaukee before going to Golden State with the 28th pick in last summer’s draft. Baldwin scored six points on a pair of 3s.
Bucks: Middleton was back in Milwaukee’s starting lineup after being held to just six minutes Sunday at Houston because of an ankle injury. … The Bucks were without point guard Jrue Holiday, who was unavailable because of a non-COVID illness. Milwaukee got Wesley Matthews back from the league’s Health and Safety protocols earlier in the day.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Play Wednesday at Indiana.
Bucks: Play at Memphis on Thursday.
TOP PHOTO: Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)