Zion Williamson, Giannis Star in Duel as Bucks Outlast Pelicans 129-125

The Milwaukee Bucks are officially back on track.

Milwaukee has followed up its five-game losing streak with four consecutive wins following Thursday's 129-125 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans at Fiserv Forum. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Donte DiVincenzo led the way for the Bucks, who are now 20-13 on the season. 

Impressive showings from Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball were not enough for the Pelicans, who saw their own two-game winning streak come to an end as they fell to 14-18.

New Orleans had an opportunity to force overtime with a three-pointer in the final seconds, but DiVincenzo drew a key charge from Ingram to all but ice the win.

Notable Player Stats

• Giannis Antetokounmpo, F, MIL: 38 PTS, 10 REB, 4 AST
• Khris Middleton, F, MIL: 31 PTS, 7 REB, 6 AST
• Donte DiVincenzo, G, MIL: 24 PTS, 9 AST, 7 REB, 2 STL
• Zion Williamson, F, NO: 34 PTS, 8 REB, 6 AST
• Brandon Ingram, F, NO: 23 PTS
• Lonzo Ball, G, NO: 20 PTS, 8 AST, 6-of-10 3PT

Giannis Brilliant as Bucks Continue Their Turnaround

It looked like things were falling apart for the Bucks during their five-game losing streak earlier this month.

After all, they are trying to keep pace with the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets at the top of the Eastern Conference and could ill-afford such a stretch. Giannis must have got the memo because he responded with 38 points and 18 rebounds in a win over the Sacramento Kings and 37 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Antetokounmpo was not shy about attacking the basket from the start on Thursday but also mixed in multiple three-pointers.

That made it all the more difficult to defend him, and the Pelicans had few answers when he drove into the lane and competed on the glass. It wasn't just that he was scoring so much, it was the sheer amount of defensive attention he attracted while doing so.

That, in turn, opened up looks for the entire lineup as every Bucks starter had at least 12 points through the first three quarters. DiVincenzo's outside shooting and Middleton's ability to flash into space spearheaded the supporting cast's effort and set the stage for a dramatic finish.

The Middleton-DiVincenzo pair continued their impressive play in the fourth quarter, with the former hitting from deep and dropping floaters and the latter facilitating and connecting from outside.

Crunch time was always going to be Giannis time, though, and the two-time MVP scored the only five points in the final two minutes to turn a one-point deficit into a four-point win.

Zion's Incredible Showing Not Enough for Pelicans

There is plenty of reason to be optimistic about the future in New Orleans with Williamson blossoming into an unstoppable superstar, but the optimism doesn't have to be reserved for beyond this season.

After all, the Pelicans entered play riding a two-game winning streak and just one game out of the final postseason spot in the expanded play-in tournament. The formula for a second-half charge is right there with Williamson putting up head-turning numbers, Ingram unleashing his smooth stroke and Ball impacting games in a number of ways.

Zion provided the optimism right out of the gates.

He poured in 24 first-half points while overpowering Milwaukee's defenders in the lane. Throw in a massive block, a willingness to battle for the boards and the ability to facilitate when the Bucks collapsed on him, and the second-year playmaker was well on his way to a dominant performance.

It wasn't a one-man show, as both Ball and Eric Bledsoe caught fire from deep early and helped the visitors make up for Ingram's slow night from the outside.

The play from the supporting cast kept the Pelicans within striking distance in the second half even as Milwaukee swarmed Williamson and prevented him from lighting up the scoreboard in a similar fashion to the first half. Ingram finally hit a three, Steven Adams controlled the glass and Ball continued his stellar play.

It all went for naught when the Pelicans failed to score a single point in the last two minutes, but there is plenty to build on with Williamson as the franchise centerpiece.

What's Next?

The Pelicans travel to face the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, while the Bucks host the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.