Antetokounmpo gets 4th triple-double of 2024, helps Bucks pull away late from lowly Pistons
DETROIT (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had a triple-double and Khris Middleton added 26 points as the Milwaukee Bucks pulled away late and beat the Detroit Pistons 122-113 on Monday night.
Antetokounmpo finished with 31 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists as the Bucks won for the fifth time in six games. Brook Lopez finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
It was Antetokounmpo’s fourth triple double of 2024. He’s averaging 32.0 points, 12.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists in January.
Middleton now has 12,012 points for the Bucks, moving past Glenn Robinson Sr. for third place in franchise history.
“That’s pretty cool — I’m happy,” he said. “I still have a lot I think I can do for this franchise and for our city.”
Lopez’s 3-pointer put Milwaukee up 110-109 with 4:59 left, and Antetokounmpo extended the lead to three points from the free-throw line before Malik Beasley’s 3-pointer made it 117-111 with 3:30 to go.
Detroit struggled offensively and a 3-pointer by Middleton made it a 15-2 run and an 11-point Milwaukee lead.
Milwaukee led by as many as nine points in the third quarter, but its struggles from long distance kept the Pistons in the game. The Bucks were 3 of 13 from deep in the quarter and finished the period with an 89-85 lead.
Detroit took a 96-95 lead on a driving layup from Sasser with 9:24 to play, and he and Ivey continued to score over Milwaukee’s post players. However, they went 1-10 in the last five minutes, missing all five 3-point attempts.
Milwaukee hit 3 of 17 3-point attempts in the first half and still led 58-56 behind 13 points from Antetokounmpo.
Marcus Sasser led the Pistons with 23 points, and fellow reserve Isaiah Stewart had 19 points and eight rebounds. Jaden Ivey led the starters with 17 points as Detroit lost to Milwaukee for the second time in three nights.
UP NEXT
Bucks: Host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday and Thursday.
Pistons: Host the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.
TOP PHOTO: FILE – Fans take pictures of a mural of Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo painted on the side of a building Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Milwaukee. The mural was dedicated on Friday, May 13, 2022, before Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinal game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)