LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo notched a career-high 15 assists in his second triple-double of the season Thursday, leading the Milwaukee Bucks to a 137-129 victory over the Portland Trailblazers.
Antetokounmpo added 24 points and 19 rebounds and Eric Bledsoe added 30 points as the Bucks never trailed on the way to a sixth straight win.
One night after beating the Hawks in Atlanta to cap a stretch of 10 road games in their first 14 of the season, the Bucks looked right at home in their Fiserv Forum arena as they kicked off a stretch of 12 home games in their next 15.
The Bucks made their first seven shots — including three three-pointers.
After the Trail Blazers responded with a 12-2 run Milwaukee relentlessly pulled away, stretching their lead to 72-58 at halftime.
Antetokounmpo secured his 16th career triple-double — notching double figures in three key statistical categories — midway through the third quarter and the Bucks took a 107-98 lead into the final period.
Portland, whose star guard Damian Lillard was sidelined by back spasms, was also without Zach Collins, Hassan Whiteside.
CJ McCollum led the Trail Blazers with 37 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds.
He was one of six Blazers players to score in double figures with Kent Bazemore adding 22 off the bench and Carmelo Anthony, in his second game with Portland after a year-long absence from the league, contributing 18.
After scoring 10 points on 4 of 14 shooting against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday, Anthony connected on six of 15 from the field, draining three three-pointers.
© Agence France-Presse
