Washington, USA – The Milwaukee Bucks suffered their second consecutive defeat, falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers 118-106. The game saw Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo leave the court with a left adductor injury, raising concerns within the team.
Antetokounmpo left the game in the final minutes of the second half after experiencing muscle discomfort following a collision with Evan Mobley in the paint. He went straight to the locker room and did not return. He finished with 14 points (6/10 two-pointers, 2/3 shooting), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal, along with 4 turnovers in 13 minutes of play. Coach Doc Rivers confirmed that the player will undergo an MRI on Tuesday.
Despite the absence of their star player, Milwaukee battled hard in the second half. However, Sam Merrill’s surge in the final quarter prevented a comeback. Merrill scored 11 of his 20 points in the last 12 minutes, including a three-pointer that extended the lead to 100-91, giving the Cavaliers the advantage until the final buzzer.
Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 37 points and 7 assists, including 25 points in the first half (10-13 shooting). Mobley also had a strong game, contributing 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.
On the other side, Ryan Rollins was the Bucks’ star with 24 points, including five three-pointers. Myles Turner added 15 points and 7 rebounds, while Gary Trent Jr. scored 12 points. Cole Anthony dished out 8 assists off the bench.
Milwaukee will face the Philadelphia 76ers in their next game early Friday morning (21/11) at 3:00 AM in Milwaukee.
Chicago breaks Nuggets’ streak and returns to winning ways
The Chicago Bulls returned to winning ways after five consecutive losses, securing a thrilling 130-127 victory over the Denver Nuggets and ending the defending champions’ seven-game winning streak.
Josh Gidey led the way with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Five other Bulls players also scored in double figures: Dosnemo 21, Herter 20, Smith 16, Carter 15, and Bozlis 13. Chicago dominated with a bench that scored 66 points to Denver’s 9, despite the absence of Kobe White.
On the other side, Nikola Jokic delivered a phenomenal performance, achieving his eighth triple-double of the season: 36 points, 18 rebounds, and 13 assists. However, he missed a three-pointer that would have tied the game in the final minute. Jamal Murray scored 34 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Aaron Gordon added 24 points, and Cameron Johnson contributed 19 points.
Miami avenges its loss to the Knicks with a hard-fought 115-113 victory.
In Miami, the Heat managed to hold their own during the crucial moments to defeat the New York Knicks 115-113, achieving a morale-boosting victory after a heavy loss to the same team days earlier in New York.
Norman Powell led Miami with 19 points, while seven Heat players finished in double figures. Davion Mitchell scored 18 points, Kyle L. Ware added 16 points and 14 rebounds, and Fontechio, Hackies Jr., and Larson each scored 13 points.
The Knicks were without Jalen Brunson and Oji Anunoby, but they rallied from a 10-point deficit in the final three minutes thanks to McBride, who scored 13 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter.
Karl-Anthony Towns cut the deficit to a single point (114-113) before Mitchell sealed the victory with a free throw. Weir made a crucial block on Towns in the final seconds. Mikal Bridges added 23 points, while the Knicks shot 25% from beyond the arc (9/36).
