Bucks overwhelm Warriors in first half, cruise to win

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[January 14, 2022] Giannis Antetokounmpo notched his third triple-double of the season as the Milwaukee Bucks blew out the visiting Golden State Warriors 118-99 on Thursday night to snap a two-game losing streak.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots during the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports


The five-time All-Star produced 30 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists and shot 11 of 17 to lift Milwaukee to just its second win in six games. Khris Middleton hit five 3-pointers and added 23 points, Bobby Portis chipped in 20 points and seven rebounds and Grayson Allen scored 15.

Shots were falling all night, as the Bucks hit 51.2 percent from the field (44 of 86) and 43.9 percent (18 of 41) from 3-point range.

Andrew Wiggins paced the Warriors with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Jonathan Kuminga tallied 15 points and seven rebounds, and Stephen Curry notched 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Klay Thompson had 11 points.

Golden State never held a lead and made good on just 16 of 48 3-point attempts (33.3 percent).

Things quickly spiraled out of control for the Warriors, who went into halftime trailing 77-38. The 39-point deficit was the largest the Warriors had faced since the franchise relocated to the Bay Area ahead of the 1962-63 season.

Four Bucks had already scored in double figures by the break, with Milwaukee having shot 63 percent from the field and 10 of 20 from 3-point range. Antetokounmpo nearly recorded 23 points, seven assists and seven rebounds prior to halftime, and Portis added 17 first-half points.

The Warriors made just 5 of 24 shots from behind the arc in the opening two quarters and committed 11 turnovers. Curry led Golden State with nine first-half points, and Wiggins added eight.

Golden State's defense improved in the third quarter, holding the Bucks to 20 points. Eight points apiece from Thompson and Wiggins helped the Warriors get within 25 by the end of the frame.

The lead was trimmed to 18 in the fourth, but that was the closest the Warriors got.

Antetokounmpo wasted no time finding his offense, scoring the Bucks' first eight points as part of an 18-4 run to open up the game. Milwaukee went on to finish with 37 points in the first quarter on 14-of-24 shooting (58.3 percent). The Warriors, who put up just 21 points in the period, shot 8 of 23 (34.8 percent).

--Field Level Media

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