Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 47 runs while missing just three shots when the Milwaukee Bucks broke the Portland Trail Blazers’ four-game win with a 127-109 victory Friday night.
Jrue Holiday added 22 points and 10 assists for the Bucks, who led 24 points in the third quarter.
The game featured two of the league’s top scorers: Damian Lillard averaged 29.8 points, second in the NBA, while Antetokounmpo came in fifth with 28.3.
But Antetokounmpo had a hot hand on Friday, making all 18 shots within the 3-point arc. He ties Wilt Chamberlain for most 2-point field goals made without a miss, according to ESPN’s Stats and Information.
An early 11-0 run helped the Bucks jump to a 19-7 lead. Milwaukee led with 14 points in the first half, but the Blazers closed the gap to 60-53 before going into the break.
Lillard’s 3-pointer got Portland in 60-58 early in the fourth quarter, but the Bucks didn’t want to let the Blazers get any closer. Holiday’s basket extended Milwaukee’s lead to 86-70, and the Bucks closed the quarter with an 11-1 run.
The Bucks dominated in paint all night, and none more so than the two-time MVP. Antetokounmpo surpassed the Trail Blazers 47-46 from two-point range and the free-throw line, the first player ever to accomplish that feat, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
The Blazers bench struggled, scoring 0 for 16 from the field through the first three quarters. Anfernee Simons hit a 3-pointer early in the fourth to end the drought.
Milwaukee took a 112-97 victory over the Lakers on Wednesday, breaking a three-game loss streak.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.