UNDATED (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 36 points and the Milwaukee Bucks used a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Brooklyn Nets for the second time in three days, winning 124-118. Milwaukee blew a 10-point lead in the second half and trailed 103-97 with 10 minutes left, but it responded with an 18-1 run to clinch a fifth straight playoff appearance. Brooklyn cut the margin to four with 1:02 left, but Antetokounmpo sank a pair of free throws and Jrue Holiday made a steal in the final minute to seal the victory. Kyrie Irving scored 38 points for the Nets, and Kevin Durant had 32.
In other Tuesday NBA action:
– Paul George and Marcus Morris scored 22 points each, and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied for a 105-100 victory over the Toronto Raptors to snap a three-game skid. Reggie Jackson added 18 points and Kawhi Leonard had 13 to help the Clippers avoid their first four-game losing streak of the season. Fred VanVleet had 27 points and 13 assists to lead Toronto in his return after missing eight games with a sore hip. Pascal Siakam added 24 points and Khem Birch added 13 points and eight rebounds.
— Lonzo Ball has led the Pelicans to a victory that helped keep New Orleans in striking distance of a postseason spot. Ball hit seven 3-pointers and capped a 33-point performance with a step-back jumper and four clutch free throws in the final 25.3 seconds to lift the Pelicans to a 108-103 victory over Golden State. Stephen Curry had 37 points but missed a deep jumper that could have given the Warriors a late lead.
— Buddy Hield had 18 points and 11 rebounds to help the Sacramento Kings beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 103-99 for their third straight win. Terence Davis scored 18 points for Sacramento, and Delon Wright had 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. The Kings still hope to qualify for the play-in tournament by reaching the No. 10 spot in the Western Conference standings.
— Devin Booker scored 31 points, Chris Paul had 23 and 16 assists and the Phoenix Suns stayed in step with Utah atop the Western Conference by outlasting the under-manned Cleveland Cavaliers 134-118 in overtime on for their fifth straight win. Mikal Bridges made two 3-pointers, dunked and had a block as Phoenix scored the first 15 points in OT to finally put away the Cavs, who were missing six players with injuries.
— Tim Hardaway Jr. made 10 3-pointers and scored 36 points, Luka Doncic scored 23 points and the Dallas Mavericks moved up to the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference by topping the short-handed Miami Heat 127-113 on Tuesday night. Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic each scored 19 for Miami, which remained No. 6 in the Eastern Conference. The Heat played without Jimmy Butler, ruled out about two hours before the game with flu-like symptoms. The team says illness is not anything related to the coronavirus.
— LaMelo Ball scored 23 points, including two free throws with 5.8 seconds left, and the Charlotte Hornets took another step toward the postseason with a 102-99 victory over the Detroit Pistons. Detroit trailed by two when rookie Killian Hayes was fouled with 9.4 seconds remaining, but he made just one of two free throws. Ball made his free throws at the other end, and Hayes missed a last-second 3-pointer. Hamidou Diallo scored a career-high 35 points for Detroit.
