Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks Beat Injury-Depleted Warriors; Kevin Durant Ejected
The Milwaukee Bucks moved one step closer to a playoff berth after their 116-107 win over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday at Oracle Arena.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 32 points as the Bucks improved to 40-35. They are now five games clear of the Detroit Pistons for the East's final playoff spot with seven games remaining.
Kevin Durant made his return from a rib injury for the Warriors (54-21), but he was ejected in the first half and couldn't prevent the team's third straight loss during the homestand.
The Houston Rockets clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference with the latest loss.
Golden State has seemingly been on cruise control while settling for the No. 2 seed. Stephen Curry (knee) and Klay Thompson (thumb) remain out with injuries, although two other All-Stars were back in action for this game.
Durant scored 10 points in 17 minutes after missing more than two weeks, but a pair of technical fouls led to his early ejection, his fifth of the year:
Draymond Green also returned after an illness kept him out of the last two games, and he finished with 11 points, six assists and five rebounds. The injuries continued, though, as Andre Iguodala exited with left knee soreness.
Milwaukee had no such problems, and Antetokounmpo got anything he wanted as he finished 14-of-18 from the field. He scored 17 of his points in an impressive first half:
Khris Middleton added 23 points, while Eric Bledsoe scored 20 in a battle that didn't feature much defense. The teams combined to shoot 54.9 percent from the field in the game.
Turnovers were the difference, as the Warriors were red-hot offensively in the first half but still trailed 58-49 thanks mostly to 14 team turnovers.
Meanwhile, the Bucks were more effective, as several big dunks gave them plenty of momentum:
A 16-0 run wrapped around the halftime break helped Milwaukee gain control, and the visitors never relented.
JaVale McGee tried to help the Warriors stay in the hunt with this effort on both ends of the court:
Quinn Cook also had a strong showing with 30 points, scoring 17 in the fourth quarter to help cut a 23-point deficit to nine. He continues to show what he can do with extended playing time and could earn more even when the team is healthy.
However, the Bucks continued their onslaught and closed out a nine-point victory that wasn't as close as the final indicates.
Milwaukee will continue its West Coast road trip with a matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. Golden State will go on the road to take on the Sacramento Kings on Saturday.
