FILE – Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks pitches the ball into the Portland Trail Blazers net during the first half of the game at the Fiserv Forum on November 21, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Stacy Revere/Getty Images/AFP
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 38 points as the Milwaukee Bucks used the dominant third half to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 117-102 on Friday.
Jevon Carter made five 3-pointers and finished with 18, while Bobby Portis Jr. score 14 more points and 8 bounces. Brook Lopez has peaked his season with six saves for Milwaukee, edging past the Cavaliers 35-10 in the third inning and improving to 10-2 at home this season.
Donovan Mitchell has 29 points to lead Cleveland, while Darius Garland has 20 points. Isaac Okoro scored 13 points and Dean Wade peaked his career with 12 rebounds.
Cleveland ended a four-game winning streak after shooting 39.1% from the field and 12 of 33 (36.4%) from three points.
The Bucks took a 16-point lead in the first half before completely overturning the scenario after a pause.
🦌 Giannis is a TRANSPORTER IN @Shove win, throw one dunk after another on the way to 38 PTS in a win-win comeback!@Giannis_An34: 38 points (65% FG), 9 REB, 6 AST, 2 BLK pic.twitter.com/fvpfoh4sCV
– NBA (@NBA) November 26, 2022
Milwaukee, opening the third half 23-2, took the first game 67-65 on Antetokounmpo’s goal with 7:19 left in this period.
The Bucks never turned around against the stunned Cavaliers and led 87-73 in the fourth inning.
The Cavaliers, who have lost their first two meetings with Milwaukee this season, made just three of their 17 shots from the field in the third half.
Portis hit his 500th career triple with 7:37 left in the competition to extend Milwaukee’s lead to 95-80.
Antetokounmpo finished with nine rebounds and six assists for the Bucks, who shot 50.6% from the field and 15 of 32 (46.9%) from outside the arc.
Cleveland took a 14-point lead in the first quarter before Milwaukee closed 10-1 to reduce the deficit to 30-25.
The Cavaliers maintained their lead early in the second half with Antetokounmpo on the bench. The two-time MVP returned to the game with six minutes left and scored a quick 11 points.
Antetokounmpo finished with 22 points in the first half to lead Milwaukee, 63-52 after halftime. Mitchell and Garland combined for 38 points for the Cavaliers.
Milwaukee played without Serge Ibaka and Pat Connaughton, both sidelined with non-COVID illnesses.
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