By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Giannis Antetokounmpo picked up his fifth personal foul with 4:36 left as the Portland Trail Blazers held a 97-94 lead, but he quickly bounced back and made two crucial plays to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 108-102 win at Fiserv Forum.
He executed a go-ahead tip-in basket with 18 seconds to go, then blocked Malcolm Brogdon on the other end just three seconds later. Following that, Damian Lillard made four consecutive free throws to seal the win for the Bucks.
The Greek Freak finished the match with 33 points, 16 rebounds, six assists, and three blocks on 11/21 shooting, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most games of 30+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 5+ assists in Bucks history, with 107 such matches to his name.
GIANNIS TIP IN FOR THE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/NBRoBz9cAp
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 26, 2023
Milwaukee was trailing 55-81 midway through the third quarter but refused to go down, with Bobby Portis providing the necessary spark. After his two three-pointers in the final period, the Bucks came within three points, and then Antetokounmpo and Lillard took over, giving the Bucks their 12th win of the season (12-5).
Lillard followed Giannis with 31 points against his former team, while Malik Beasley scored 14, and Portis had 12 for the winning side. Thanasis Antetokounmpo played for four and a half minutes and recorded two rebounds.
Jerami Grant led Portland with 22 points, and Malcolm Brogdon flirted with a triple-double, scoring 18 points with 12 assists and eight rebounds. Shaedon Sharpe added 17 points, while Deandre Ayton also reached a double-double with 14 points and 13 boards. Scott Henderson had 11 points until halftime on perfect shooting but scored just two points in the third and fourth quarters.
Belgium international Toumani Camara had six points on 2/2 shooting from beyond the arc, with three rebounds, spending a little less than 17 minutes on the court for the Trail Blazers.