Nuggets sink 24 3-pointers, outgun Bucks

[February 16, 2018]  Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo each recorded triple-doubles, but Jokic's Denver Nuggets made 24 3-pointers in a 134-123 victory over the host Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night at the Bradley Center.

Jokic needed just 16 minutes of action to record his fifth triple-double of the season. He scored 16 points, and had 11 rebounds and 12 assists in the first half and finished with 30 points, 15 rebounds and 17 assists. He also had a triple-double Tuesday in a win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Antetokounmpo scored 36 points on 14-of-21 shooting, grabbed 11 boards and dished out 13 assists with three blocked shots for his first triple-double of the season.

Eric Bledsoe scored 27 and Khris Middleton chipped in 17 for the Bucks, who shot 53.3 percent overall but couldn't stop the Nuggets' long-distance shooting while making just nine 3-pointers of their own.

Gary Harris scored 20 of his 28 in the first half and Jamal Murray finished with 26 for the Nuggets. Denver extended its winning streak to three games and finished one 3-pointer shy of the league's single-game record.

The Nuggets shot 55.3 percent overall from the floor, including 60 percent (24 of 40) from beyond the arc.

Denver's Will Barton and Harris started off strong, combining to make 5 of 7 3-point attempts in the opening quarter while scoring 13 and 14 points, respectively. As a team, the Nuggets shot 65 percent while the Bucks hit 46 percent of their shots but turned the ball over five times and closed the quarter down, 35-28.

 

Nuggets guard Devin Harris (34) tries for a dunk as Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) defends during the second quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Sterling Brown's 3-pointer with 7:55 left in the half capped off a 15-3 run that put the Bucks up 43-41. However, Milwaukee couldn't stop the Nuggets, who made 13 3-pointers and shot 63.6 percent from the floor before the break to take a 74-62 lead into the break.

Antetokounmpo had 17 in the half and Bledsoe and Middleton added 12 each for Milwaukee, which trailed by as many as 23 but cut the deficit to 12 with a late run.

--Field Level Media

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