NBA: Giannis Antetokounmpo stars as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Philadelphia 76ers
Milwaukee Bucks have won 47 and lost 28 games this season, while Eastern Conference leaders Miami Heat are 48-28
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 40 points and blocked Joel Embiid’s shot in the final seconds as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 118-116.
Khris Middleton made 22 points and Jrue Holiday added 18 for the Bucks, who sit second behind the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference.
Defeat was the 76ers’ second in a row and leaves them fourth.
Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers dropped to 11th and out of a post-season play-in place.
The Lakers, missing the injured LeBron James, were beaten 128-110 at the Dallas Mavericks.
They trailed 82-56 at halftime – the second-most points the Lakers have conceded in a first half, and the most since February 1959 (83).
Luka Doncic recorded his 10th triple-double of the season with 34 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists.
Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer described Antetokounmpo’s last-gasp block against the 76ers as “special”.
James Harden responded with 32 points and Embiid added 29 for Philadelphia, who had led by 10 at half-time and 14 in the third quarter.
The Bucks fought back in the fourth, Antetokounmpo putting Milwaukee up by two with 13.2 seconds remaining before denying Embiid with 1.6 seconds to go.
