Giannis Antetokounmpo: 'Extraordinarily hot' Milwaukee Bucks star hits season-high 54 points in narrow defeat
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Updated 10/11/2023 at 08:39 GMT
Indiana Pacers snatched a dramatic late victory against Milwaukee Bucks in a record-breaking game which saw Giannis Antetokounmpo become only the fifth player in NBA history to be on the losing side with 50+ points on 75% shooting. Antetokounmpo scored a season-high 54 points, but Tyrese Haliburton’s fourth-quarter three-pointer edged the tie 126-124 in the Pacers' favour for a third straight win.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - NOVEMBER 9: Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers celebrates during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on November 9, 2023 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees th
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Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a season-best 54 points but couldn’t inspire his team to victory over the Indiana Pacers in the NBA.
The Pacers edged the high-scoring contest 126-124 thanks to Tyrese Haliburton’s dramatic fourth-quarter three-pointer, which sealed a third-straight win for Rick Carlisle’s team.
Antetokounmpo committed two late turnovers before Haliburton stole the show with 1:29 left and swung it in the Pacers’ favour.
Antetokounmpo's 54-point effort makes him the fifth player in NBA history to be on the losing side with 50 points on 75% shooting.
The Greek finished a point shy of his career-best score but, despite his devastating shooting form, was sloppy in the latter stages to lose possession and then be stripped with seconds left on the clock.
"I didn't take care of the ball on two possessions," Antetokounmpo said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
"I had to shoot the ball, I didn't shoot the ball. But I was gassed and they were able to get a win."
Antetokounmpo stepped up in All-Star Damian Lillard’s absence to overtake Chicago's Zach LaVine’s season-high score this campaign of 51.
“We had to deal with a player who was extraordinarily hot and on a roll,” Pacers’ coach Carlisle said of Antetokounmpo’s form.
“We executed as well as we could and created some chaos defensively.
“You’ve got to take some risks or else he’s going to end up with 60. [We’re] very fortunate to get the win.”
Despite the late shift in momentum towards the end of the game, Khris Middleton - who scored a three-pointer on the final buzzer - missed the same shot seven seconds earlier which would have given the Bucks the win.
The Bucks had done well to initially close an 18-point gap the Pacers had set during the first quarter helped by eight three-pointers in a 38-24 opening period.
Milwaukee had the gap reduced to six points at half-time with the score 60-66, then levelled the score at 71 in the third.
The Pacers then found themselves behind by 10 in the final period and were 117-108 down with 10 minutes to go, before the Haliburton-inspired fightback earned a third-straight victory.
Elsewhere on Thursday, the Atlanta Hawks edged Orlando Magic 120-119.
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