Damian Lillard led the Milwaukee Bucks (45-25) to a hard-fought 115-108 victory over the Brooklyn Nets (26-44) on Thursday night.
Lillard dropped game-high 30 points and dished out 12 assists, while also making crucial defensive plays down the stretch to secure the win for the Bucks.
Despite a spirited effort from the Nets, who rallied from a 20-point deficit to take the lead, Milwaukee capitalized on Lillard’s late-game heroics to emerge victorious.
Giannis Antetokounmpo made a triumphant return to the lineup after missing two games due to injury, contributing 21 points, nine rebounds, and five assists to the Bucks’ winning effort.
Khris Middleton was rested by the Bucks as they continue to manage his workload in his recovery from an ankle injury, but Milwaukee found contributions from other players to fill the void. Brook Lopez contributed 17 points, while Malik Beasley added 16 points, and AJ Green chipped in with 15 points.
For the Nets, Mikal Bridges (24 points), Nic Claxton (22 points, 9 rebounds), Cam Thomas (21 points), and Cam Johnsons (17 points) delivered strong performances, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Lillard and the Bucks.
In a thrilling final period, the game swung back and forth as both teams battled for control, but it was Lillard’s timely steals and clutch scoring that ultimately proved decisive for Milwaukee.
