In a breathtaking display, Giannis Antetokounmpo set a franchise record by scoring an astonishing 64 points, leading the Milwaukee Bucks (17-7) to a dominant 140-126 victory over the Indiana Pacers (13-9).
This remarkable performance by Antetokounmpo took revenge after the Pacers’ recent victory in the In-Season Tournament semifinals.
Antetokounmpo’s incredible feat surpassed the previous Bucks record of 57 set by Michael Redd in 2006. He achieved this milestone on 20-of-28 shooting from the field, making 24-of-32 free throws and securing 14 rebounds.
This historic performance also marked the first time in NBA history that a player made at least 20 field goals and 20 free throws in a game while shooting over 70% in each category.
Despite Antetokounmpo’s on-court brilliance, the postgame was marred by a confrontation over the game ball in the hallway near the Indiana locker room. The incident highlighted the intensity of the game and the emotions surrounding the matchup.
The game itself saw a heated exchange during play, with Antetokounmpo being tackled by Aaron Nesmith. This led to a brief altercation, resulting in a flagrant-1 foul for Nesmith and technical fouls for both him and the Bucks’ Bobby Portis. Portis was later ejected after receiving a second technical foul.
Damian Lillard contributed 21 points for the Bucks, and his second 3-pointer in the third quarter moved him past Kyle Korver for fifth place in NBA history with 2,451 career three-pointers.
For the Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner each scored 22 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Antetokounmpo’s historic performance.
