Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard powered the Milwaukee Bucks to a 125-119 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night.
The duo combined for 63 points, leading Milwaukee to its fourth consecutive victory despite LaMelo Ball’s career-high 50 points.
Antetokounmpo delivered 32 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists, while Lillard contributed 31 points, hitting 10 of 11 free throws. The Bucks improved to 8-9 and completed a perfect 4-0 homestand.
Milwaukee appeared to have the game under control after a 14-5 fourth-quarter run extended their lead to 110-90. However, Charlotte rallied, cutting the deficit to 121-119 after Brandon Miller’s three-pointer with 15 seconds remaining.
Taurean Prince responded with two clutch free throws, giving the Bucks a four-point cushion. Antetokounmpo sealed the victory with two more free throws after the Hornets missed a pair of late three-pointers.
Ball’s 50 points came on 17-of-38 shooting, including six three-pointers. He added 10 assists, leading a Hornets squad that saw Miller add 32 points in 42 minutes. Despite the loss, Ball’s performance marked the highest-scoring effort of his career.
Milwaukee’s three-point shooting proved decisive, as the team hit 18 of 37 attempts (48.6%). The Bucks matched their season high in made three-pointers, led by four from Gary Trent Jr., who scored 16 off the bench.
Charlotte struggled to keep up from beyond the arc, converting just 19 of 47 threes (40.4%). Ball’s six triples accounted for nearly a third of the team’s long-range makes.
The Hornets, now 6-10, have dropped five of its last seven games.
Charlotte’s defensive struggles were evident as Milwaukee shot 48.3% from the field. Brook Lopez added 13 points for the Bucks, and Bobby Portis contributed 11 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
