The Milwaukee Bucks survived a career-best 50-point night from LaMelo Ball to beat the visiting Charlotte Hornets 125-119 and extend their winning streak to four in a row.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for Milwaukee, while Damian Lillard scored 31 points.
Ball started slowly, going 1-of-8 from the floor in the first quarter, before flourishing after halftime. He topped his previous career best of 38 points.
Ball, who also had 10 assists, scored three points in the first quarter and seven in the second, then scored 40 points in the second half. Brandon Miller had 32 points and 11 rebounds in the loss.
Miller and Ball combined to score all 34 of Charlotte’s points in the fourth quarter as the Hornets nearly erased a 20-point deficit.
The Bucks hit 18 of 37 from 3-point range.
Milwaukee scored the first eight points of the game and Antetokounmpo hit all five of his shots in the first but the Hornets recovered to end the quarter tied at 28-28.
Lillard scored 11 points in the second quarter and assisted on Gary Trent Jr.’s 3-pointer just before halftime as the Bucks took a 59-51 lead into the break.
Ball caught fire in the third. He scored 22 of the Hornets’ 34 points in the quarter, shooting 8 of 12 from the floor and 4 of 7 from beyond the arc.
But the Bucks kept Charlotte at bay. Lillard converted a four-point play to push Milwaukee’s lead to 73-66 with 7:26 left in the third. AJ Green knocked down a 3-pointer with 49.9 seconds left to push Milwaukee’s cushion to 13 points.
The Bucks began the fourth quarter on a 14-5 run, giving them a 110-90 lead with 8:13 left before Ball and Miller helped the Hornets keep it close.
–Field Level Media
