Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 29 points and passed the 21,000-career-point mark to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 116-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday at Fiserv Forum.
The Bucks improved to 9-12, ending a seven-game losing streak, while Brooklyn fell to 3-16 amid a short-handed roster missing Michael Porter Jr., Cam Thomas, and Egor Demin.
Antetokounmpo, playing in his second game after a four-game absence due to a groin strain, shot 12 of 15 in just 19 minutes and grabbed eight rebounds.
Kevin Porter Jr., returning from ankle and meniscus injuries, added 13 points in his first game back, while A.J. Green and Bobby Portis Jr. contributed 15 and 13 points, respectively.
Milwaukee dominated the second quarter, outscoring Brooklyn 39-24, and led 71-53 at halftime before extending the margin to 92-60 with just over five minutes left in the third.
Danny Wolf had a career-high 22 points for the Nets, shooting 8 for 16, including 5 of 9 from three-point range, while Jalen Wilson added 13 points.
Brooklyn’s depleted lineup struggled to keep pace, with Ziaire Williams scoring 10 points and Nic Claxton contributing seven, as the team could not recover from early deficits.
The Bucks maintained efficiency throughout the game, shooting 52 percent from the field and hitting 12 of 17 from the free-throw line, while scoring 43 points in the paint.
Giannis’ milestone 3-pointer midway through the third quarter marked him as the 42nd player and sixth-youngest in NBA history to reach 21,000 career points.
The Bucks will visit the Washington Wizards on Monday, while the Nets host the Charlotte Hornets, looking to halt a six-game home losing streak.
