UNDATED (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks had a surprisingly easy time defeating the Golden State Warriors on Thursday.
Giannis Antetokounmpo posted his third triple-double of the season and the Bucks led 77-38 at halftime en route to a 118-99 rout of the Warriors. Antetokounmpo finished with 30 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in his 28th career triple-double.
Khris Middleton chipped in 23 points, Bobby Portis had 15 and Grayson Allen had 15 for the Bucks, who welcomed back coach Mike Budenholzer. Milwaukee had gone 1-3 while Budenholzer was in COVID-19 protocols.
Andrew Wiggins had a team-high 16 points for the Warriors, while teammate Stephen Curry had just 12.
Checking out Thursday’s other NBA action:
— The Grizzlies’ team-record winning streak is now at 11 games following a 116-108 decision over the Timberwolves. Desmond Bane scored 21 points and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 20 to help Memphis avenge their 43-point loss to Minnesota on Nov. 20. Ja Morant had 16 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, and John Konchar added 15 points and a career-best 17 rebounds.
— The Nets lost for the sixth time in their last seven home games, absorbing a 130-109 defeat against the Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered 33 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Thunder, who are 14-27 at the midway mark. Rookie Josh Giddey provided 19 points to the Thunder’s first win in six games.
— The Nuggets carved up the Trail Blazers, 140-108 as Will Barton furnished 21 points and Nikola Jokic added 20. Barton had to leave the game for good with a strained neck after falling into the knee of Portland center Jusuf Nurkic on a drive.
— Brandon Ingram dropped in 24 points and Jonas Valanciunas had a double-double with 18 points and 16 boards in the Pelicans’ 113-89 thrashing of the Clippers. Rookie Herb Jones scored 14 points and had three steals for the Pelicans, who parlayed 15 Clippers turnovers into 23 points.
Knicks buyers, Hawks sellers
UNDATED (AP) — The New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks are separated by just three games in the NBA’s Eastern Conference standings, but their plans for the stretch run now appear to be divergent.
The Hawks have become sellers after falling to 17-23, sending forwards Cam Reddish and Solomon Hill to the Knicks for small forward Kevin Knox and a 2022 first-round draft pick. The Knicks also get a second-round choice in this year’s draft.
Reddish received regular playing time for Atlanta this season, averaging 11.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 34 games. Reddish and Knox are recent first-round picks, but Knox started just 61 of 195 games for the Knicks after being drafted in 2018.
Reddish is reunited with former Duke teammate RJ Barrett as the Knicks try to improve on their 21-21 start.
The deal gives the Hawks additional salary cap room this summer.
In other NBA news:
— Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard is out at least six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a core injury that has been causing him abdominal pain. The six-time All-Star has missed five games since the start of the year and 11 games overall this season because of the injury.
— The Bulls expect forward Derrick Jones Jr. to miss two to four weeks because of a bone bruise in his right knee. Jones was injured in the opening minute of a 138-112 home loss to the Nets on Wednesday.
— A trade between the Pistons and Nuggets has been rescinded after big man Bol Bol didn’t receive medical clearance with Detroit. The Nuggets had finalized a deal to send Bol to the Pistons in exchange for guard Rodney McGruder along with a 2022 second-round pick via Brooklyn.
