Giannis scores 42 points and the Bucks extend their winning streak to 5 games with a 142-129 victory over the Wizards

Washington (AFP) – Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 42 points on 20-of-23 shooting, leading the Milwaukee Bucks to win their fifth straight game, 142-129, over the Washington Wizards on Monday night.

Washington lost its sixth straight win, but not without putting up a good fight against the star-studded Bucks.

Antetokounmpo shot 87.0% from the field, the highest mark in a game by a player with at least 20 attempts since the Kansas City Kings’ Mike Woodson went 22-of-24 (91.7%) on a 48-point effort against the Houston Rockets in February. 20, 1983. Antetokounmpo also contributed 13 rebounds and eight assists.

Jordan Poole scored 30 points for Washington, and Kyle Kuzma added 22 points and 13 assists.

Damian Lillard scored 22 points for the Bucks. Khris Middleton scored 18 goals to move past Sidney Moncrieff into fourth place on Milwaukee’s all-time scoring list.

DETROIT (AP) — Reggie Jackson scored 21 points and carried Denver in the fourth quarter after two-time MVP Nikola Jokic was ejected in the first half, and the Nuggets handed Detroit their 12th straight loss.

Jackson scored eight points and three assists in the final period, as he and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (20 points) shined against their former team. Michael Porter Jr. finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds for the defending champion Nuggets (10-4).

Jokic and Denver coach Michael Malone were fired after controversial calls. Malone was ejected for coming onto the court to object to a call late in the first quarter, and Jokic was ejected for receiving a second technical with 1:22 left in the second period.

Jokic finished the game with nine points, five rebounds and five assists in 15 minutes.

Cade Cunningham had 27 points and nine assists for the Pistons (2-13), while Marvin Bagley III finished with 18 points.

Hornets 121, Celtics 118, OT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Miles Bridges hit a 3-pointer with 6.6 seconds left in overtime and Charlotte beat Boston to snap a six-game losing streak at home.

LaMelo Ball added 36 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and Gordon Hayward added 20 points for the Hornets, who came back from an 18-point deficit.

Jayson Tatum finished with 45 points, but missed a free throw with 5.2 seconds left that would have tied the game after being fouled on a 3-point shot. He made the first two before the decisive loss.

Gordon Hayward made two free throws to put Charlotte back up by three points with 0.8 left, and Bridges stole the inbounds pass to seal the win.

Peyton Pritchard scored 21 points on five 3s for Boston, which had its six-game winning streak snapped.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Paul George scored 28 points, Kawhi Leonard added 21 and Los Angeles beat Victor Wimpanyama and San Antonio, extending the Spurs’ losing streak to nine games.

James Harden added 13 points and 10 assists as Los Angeles achieved its sixth consecutive victory over San Antonio.

The Clippers won their second straight game with Harden after losing their first five games since joining him from Philadelphia.

Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick in the draft, had nine points and three rebounds. Keldon Johnson scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead San Antonio, and Cedi Osman scored 17 points.

The Spurs’ losing streak matches the fifth-longest losing streak in franchise history.

CHICAGO (AP) — Bam Adebayo scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Miami topped Chicago two nights after holding a 21-point lead in the same building.

Jimmy Butler scored 16 points against his former team, while Adebayo achieved his eighth double-double this season.

The Heat have won eight of their last nine games after starting the season 1-4. Zach LaVine was limited to 13 points on a season-low nine shot attempts. Alex Caruso also finished with 13 points as well as a block and a steal.

Coby White led the Bulls with a season-high 20 points, including four 3-pointers. Nikola Vucevic scored 18 points and DeMar DeRozan added 15 points.

Rookie forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 19 points, and Kevin Love added 11 points and eight rebounds for the Heat off the bench, which collected 42 points compared to 21 for the Bulls reserves.

Timberwolves 117, Knicks 100

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 23 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, Karl-Anthony Towns scored 20 points, and Western Conference leader Minnesota beat the New York Knicks.

Minnesota (10-3) is 6-0 at home — tying a franchise record to start the season — and has won nine of its past 10 games.

Jalen Brunson scored 25 points and Julius Randle 21 points for New York, which shot 34.8% (32 of 92) compared to 51.3% for Minnesota.

Rudy Gobert scored 16 points for Wolverhampton. Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels left with a sprained right ankle in the first quarter and did not return. Nickeil Alexander-Walker recorded extended minutes, finishing with 11 points, three rebounds and three assists.

Naz Reid added 10 points as the Wolves outscored the New York Reserves 43-30.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Brandon Ingram hit all five of his 3-pointers and led all scorers with 31 points, and Zion Williamson dominated the paint by scoring 26 points on 12-for-16 shooting to lead New Orleans to a win over Sacramento.

The Pelicans trailed 47-43 midway through the second quarter and used a 44-10 run in the second and third quarters to take an 87-57 lead.

Harrison Barnes scored 16 points and De’Aaron Fox scored 14 points for Sacramento, the leader of the Pacific Division. Fox and Donatos Sabonis, who finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, did not play in the fourth quarter.