<p>MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo followed up his MVP performance in the All-Star Game with his fifth triple-double of the season to help the Milwaukee Bucks trounce the New York Knicks 134-101 on Thursday night.</p>
<p>Antetokounmpo had 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in 29 minutes as the Bucks handed the Knicks their most one-sided loss of the season. The Bucks shot 57.5% against New York, which entered the night leading the NBA in scoring defense (104.4), field-goal percentage defense (.435) and 3-point percentage defense (.330).</p>
<p>The Bucks have won seven of their last eight and now prepare to begin a three-game road swing.</p>
<p>Antetokounmpo was playing for the first time since <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-nba-joel-embiid-nba-all-star-game-coronavirus-pandemic-ae2000f148de5275dd68ed6102d33a2c">earning MVP honors at Sunday’s All-Star Game </a> by <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/allstar/NBA_2021.html">shooting 16 of 16 </a> from the floor (3 of 3 on 3-point attempts) and scoring 35 points. That marked the first time in All-Star Game history that someone had shot 100% from the floor with at least 10 attempts.</p>
<p>He went 8 of 12 from the floor and made all seven of his free throws Thursday. Antetokounmpo made his first four shots Thursday – all on dunks and layups – before finally missing one with 4:13 left in the second quarter and promptly delivering a putback. </p>
<p>Bryn Forbes added 21 points as the Bucks had seven players score in double figures. RJ Barrett had 22 points, Alec Burks 17 and Immanuel Quickley 15 for the Knicks.</p>
<p>Antetokounmpo attempted just one shot from the floor in the game’s first 16 minutes but handed out five assists during that stretch. Brook Lopez scored eight points during a 14-0 run in the first quarter run in the first quarter as the Bucks turned a 16-12 deficit into a 26-16 lead they never relinquished.</p>
<p>Milwaukee gained a measure of revenge after <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-new-york-milwaukee-bucks-elfrid-payton-tom-thibodeau-5dab762c17ce7807d45e01597163c625">falling 130-110 at New York</a> on Dec. 27, the Bucks’ second-most lopsided loss of the season.</p>
<p>The Bucks shot a season-low 18.4% (7 of 38) in that game while New York was 16 of 27 from beyond the arc. The Bucks were 18 of 38 and the Knicks went 13 of 37 on 3-point attempts Thursday.</p>
<p>TIP-INS</p>
<p>Knicks: Derrick Rose missed a third straight game due to the league’s health and safety protocols. Taj Gibson returned from a sprained left ankle and had seven points in 26 minutes. Gibson had missed the Knicks’ last three games before the All-Star break. … Julius Randle had seven points, eight rebounds and six assists but shot just 3 of 12. Randle had 29 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists in the victory over the Bucks back in December. </p>
<p>Bucks: Jrue Holiday returned to Milwaukee’s starting lineup for the first time since missing 10 games due to COVID-19. Holiday returned to action Feb. 28 but had come off the bench in his first three games back. … The Bucks announced that local health officials will allow them to have about 3,200 spectators – 18% of Fiserv Forum’s capacity – for home games beginning March 20 against San Antonio. The Bucks currently are permitted to fill 10% of the arena’s capacity, which gives them about 1,800 spectators. … Mamadi Diakite, a member of <a href="https://apnews.com/article/f6d507f74b4145ae802b55f17cb886c6"> Virginia’s 2019 national championship </a> team, made his NBA debut in the closing minutes.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Knicks: At Oklahoma City on Saturday in the second game of a four-game road swing.</p>
<p>Bucks: At Washington on Saturday in the first of two straight games with the Wizards.</p>
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