NEW YORK (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo’s return to the court was not enough for the Milwaukee Bucks to stop their longest losing streak since his rookie season.
Restricted to 28 minutes after missing four games with a groin strain, Antetokounmpo had 30 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists Friday night, but the Bucks were eliminated from the NBA Cup with their 118-109 loss to the Knicks.
“I felt good,” Antetkounmpo said. “I felt powerful. A little bit out of shape. Obviously I haven’t played with the team at all.”
It was Milwaukee’s seventh straight loss. It is the Bucks’ longest skid since dropping eight in a row March 11-24, 2014, when Milwaukee won 15 games after selecting Antetkounmpo in the 2013 draft.
“It’s business man,” he said. “We just got to have that business mentality. At the end of the day, we can talk all we want, make speeches. At the end of the day, we got to show up on the court 48 minutes. We got to do what it takes to win. We got to do the little things.”
Antetkounmpo had several strong drives to the rim and made 10 of 14 shots, but also committed a critical foul after the Bucks cut an 11-point deficit to two in the fourth quarter. After his dunk got the Bucks within 104-102 with 5:19 left, Antetkounmpo fouled Jalen Brunson on a 3-point try.
Brunson made all three free throws and the Bucks never threatened again.
Antetokounmpo strained his left groin during Milwaukee’s 118-106 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 17. Although he was diagnosed with a mild strain, Antetokounmpo said it felt like a pop in his groin when the injury initially occurred.
Antetokounmpo is averaging 31 points, 11.1 rebounds and 6.9 assists. He scored 14 points in 13 minutes before getting injured.
The Bucks are 0-5 this season when Antetokounmpo does not play. He traveled with the team to Miami on Wednesday, when the Bucks were handed a 106-103 loss.
Antetokounmpo was named the MVP of the in-season tournament last year, when the Bucks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder to claim the title after losing to the Indiana Pacers in the semifinals in 2023-24.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
By LARRY FLEISHER
Associated Press
