PORTLAND, Ore. — Brook Lopez scored 27 points and the Milwaukee Bucks extended their winning streak to eight games with a 127-108 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 24 points and 13 rebounds as the Bucks led all the way, pushing their lead to 26 in the second half.
Damian Lillard led the Blazers with 28 points. Antetokounmpo and Lillard were named NBA Players of the Week earlier today.
Lillard averaged 38.3 points and 6.8 assists last week for his second straight POTW honor, while Antetokounmpo averaged 41 points and 17.3 rebounds.
Antetokounmpo started despite pain in his right knee. The two-time league MVP posted a triple-double with 35 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists on Saturday to lead the Bucks to a 123-115 win over Miami.
Portland was coming off a 129-121 loss at Chicago on Saturday that ended a three-game winning streak
With center Jusuf Nurkic unavailable with left calf strain, the Blazers struggled against the bigger Bucks.
Milwaukee led by 15 in the first half, but Lillard hit a 3-pointer from about two feet inside the half-court line that drew gasps and then cheers from the home crowd.
Lopez led all scorers with 17 points and Milwaukee led 58-48 at the break. He hit a 3 with 10:41 left in the third quarter that gave him 15,000 career points.
The Bucks finished the third period on a 22-8 streak to lead 95-71.
ADVICE
Bucks: Also won their first of two meetings with the Blazers this season, 119-111 at Milwaukee. … It was the opening of a three game road trip. … The Bucks’ longest winning streak this season is nine games.
Trail Blazers: General Manager Joe Cronin was among team representatives at a roundtable with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to pitch Portland as a possible WNBA expansion city. Also in attendance were Oregon Women’s Coach Kelly Graves and Oregon State Coach Scott Rueck.
SLIGHT ADJUSTMENTS
Due to weather-related flight delays that forced the postponement of the Washington Wizards game in Detroit on Feb. 1, a few adjustments have been made to the NBA schedule that impact the Bucks and Blazers.
Milwaukee’s game at Washington originally scheduled for March 6 has been moved to March 5, and Portland’s game at Detroit will be played on March 6 instead of March 7.
The Wizards’ make-out game in Detroit is scheduled for March 7.
FOLLOWING
Bucks: Visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
Trail Blazers: Host the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.
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