UNDATED (AP) — The good news for the Indiana Pacers was the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks’ lineup. The bad news was that the rest of the Bucks were ready for them.
With Antetokounmpo out with a sprained ankle, Jrue Holiday had 28 points and 14 assists to help the Bucks breeze past the Pacers, 140-113. Pat Connaughton made his first start of the season in place of the Greek Freak, delivering 20 points and nine rebounds while shooting 6 of 7 from 3-point range. Khris Middleton had 25 points, eight rebounds and six assists in Milwaukee’s seventh win in a row.
Checking out Monday’s other NBA action:
— Donovan Mitchell dropped in 30 points and Rudy Gobert almost had a triple-double as the Jazz crushed the Bulls, 120-95. Gobert finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high nine blocks to help the Western Conference leaders roll to their second straight win after losing five of eight. Mitchell made five 3-pointers, one shy of his season high.
— Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points and the Clippers erased an 88-66 deficit to beat the Hawks, 119-110. Terance Mann added a season-high 21 to help Los Angeles end Atlanta’s season-high, eight-game winning streak. Luke Kennard made all eight of his shots and scored all of his season-high 20 points in the second half for the Clippers.
— The Hornets knocked off the Spurs, 100-97 as Gordon Hayward scored 27 points and Terry Rozier added 24 in Charlotte’s first game since losing LaMelo Ball to injury. Ball sustained a fractured right wrist Saturday after a hard fall against the Clippers. The leading candidate for Rookie of the Year honors is expected to miss the remainder of the season.
— Ja Morant had 29 points and nine assists for the Grizzlies in a 132-126 overtime victory versus the Celtics. Dillon Brooks added 24 points, seven rebounds and seven assists as the Grizzlies won for the third time in four games. Jonas Valanciunas (YOH’-nuhs val-ehn-CHOO’-nihs) had 16 points and 19 rebounds in the win.
— The Rockets ended their team-record, 20-game losing streak as John Wall had his first triple-double in five years in a 117-99 victory over the Raptors. Houston’s skid was tied for the ninth-worst in NBA history and the longest since Philadelphia’s record-setting, 28-game losing streak across the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons. Wall had 19 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds in his first triple-double since Feb. 5, 2016.
— De’Aaron Fox scored 30 points, Tyrese Haliburton had a career-high 28 and the Kings completed their longest road trip of the season with a 119-105 victory over the Cavaliers. Buddy Hield (heeld) added 19 points and Richaun Holmes had 17 with 16 rebounds for the Kings, who went 3-3 on their 10-day trip. Harrison Barnes made a late run at a triple-double with nine points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
— Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points and the Thunder relied on hot 3-point shooting to defeat the Timberwolves 112-103. The Thunder set a season high with 21 3-pointers in just 37 attempts. Eight of the nine players who entered the game for Thunder hit at least one 3-pointer. Only center Moses Brown didn’t convert from beyond the arc, but he contributed 17 rebounds.
