Antetokounmpo triple double helps Bucks beat Wizards 125-119

<p>WASHINGTON &mdash; Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds for his sixth triple-double of the season to help the Milwaukee Bucks to a 125-119 victory over the short-handed Washington Wizards on Saturday night.</p>
<p>Jrue Holiday added 10 of his 18 points during the fourth quarter for the third-place Bucks, who have won eight of nine to move a game back of second-place Brooklyn and two behind Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference standings.</p>
<p>Russell Westbrook scored 42 points — including 15 of Washington’s last 18 — and added 10 rebounds and 12 assists while posting his NBA-leading 11th triple-double. Rui Hachimura added 29 points and tied a career-high with three 3-pointers, but Washington lost its third straight while resting All-Star guard Bradley Beal with a sore left knee.</p>
<p>Westbrook twice helped Washington fight back from multiple-possession deficits inside the final six minutes, and his 3 from the left wing tied it at 119-all with 41 seconds left.</p>
<p>Khris Middleton answered with a pair of free throws, and Holiday defended as Westbrook missed a contested driving layup on the other end. Middleton added two more foul shots with 9.4 seconds left to increase the lead to four, Hachimura’s 3 attempt from the left wing rimmed out, and Holiday’s free throws sealed the game.</p>
<p>TIP-INS</p>
<p>Bucks: Improved to 2-10 when shooting worse from the floor than their opponent. … Led 36-33 at the end of the first quarter after Bobby Portis’ buzzer-beating 3-pointer. … Rookie F Jordan Nwora (ankle) was cleared to return, said coach Mike Budenholzer, but did not play. He last appeared on Feb. 1.</p>
<p>Wizards: Beal rested a day after he was a game-time decision on Friday, when he ultimately scored 19 points in 29 minutes of action, and coach Scott Brooks believes he will be back on Monday. … Alex Len made his first start since Feb. 12, and F Deni Avdija made his first start since Feb. 7. … Len picked up a flagrant 1 foul for wrapping his arms around a driving Antetokounmpo with 1:15 left in the first half.</p>
<p>TWIN BILLING</p>
<p>Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez outscored Washington’s Robin Lopez 11-2 in the twins’ first game against each other since Feb. 25 of 2019, when Robin played for Chicago. The brothers were teammates with the Bucks last season.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>The Bucks and Wizards meet again in Washington on Monday.</p>