It was yet another highlight game for Giannis Antetokounmpo as he scored 34 points for the Bucks, including 16 rebounds and five assists. Antetokounmpo has had a hot start to this 2023-2024 season, and has already etched his name in the franchise records, and continues to heat things up as we head into the new year.
The Bucks were also on fire thanks to Damian Lillard, who put up 31 total points, scoring 24 of those in the second half. But it was the work of both Lillard and Antetokounmpo in the third quarter that was pivotal for Milwaukee’s win over Cleveland.
Both superstars scored 14 points in the third quarter, outscoring Cleveland 40-21 to erase a 15-point deficit as they helped the Bucks maintain the lead for the remainder of the game. Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.9 points per game, a stat that definitely puts him in MVP discussions if he wasn’t already in conversations.
The Cavaliers had Donovan Mitchell back on the court tonight after a four-game absence. Mitchell had 34 points, six rebounds and nine assists for Cleveland, and Jarrett Allen scored a career-high 30 points on 15-of-17 shooting with 12 rebounds and six assists. However, it seemed that Cleveland just couldn’t hit their threes, missing 37 of the attempted 43 shots.
Milwaukee’s Malik Beasley also had a great night, scoring 15 points on five 3-pointers and Khris Middleton had 13 points and a season-high of 11 assists in Friday’s contest. Brook Lopez had nine points, 10 rebounds, and six blocked shots, respectively.
