Antetokounmpo leads Bucks in Nets blowout, LeBron's Lakers stumble - Capital Sports
Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks dunks against the Brooklyn Nets during their NBA season-opening win on Tuesday

Basketball

Antetokounmpo leads Bucks in Nets blowout, LeBron’s Lakers stumble

LOS ANGELES, United States, Oct 20Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 32 points as the Milwaukee Bucks launched the defence of their NBA crown on Tuesday with a 127-104 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, as LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers were outgunned by the Golden State Warriors.

Antetokounmpo picked up where he left off in guiding the Bucks to victory in the NBA Finals last season, leading an emphatic all-round offensive display that included 14 rebounds and seven assists.

The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player was one of five Bucks who cracked double figures on a night when Milwaukee’s fans celebrated as the team raised its first championship banner in 50 years at the Fiserv Forum.

Khris Middleton had 20 points while Pat Connaughton also made 20 off the bench. Jordan Nwora added 15 points while Jrue Holiday, who left the game with an injury early on, had 12 points.

Antetokounmpo was pleased with the way the Bucks turned their attention to the challenge of the Nets after the pre-game festivities.

“It was hard — we all were excited to get the rings, and seeing our banner,” Antetokounmpo said.

“It’s kind of hard to balance that, to go from that excitement and emotional state to go and play a game.

“But I think we did a great job. We were able to focus on our gameplan and ourselves and get a win.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

“We’ve got a deep team. Everyone’s ready to step up and ready to play. We play hard and play together.”

It was a chastening loss for Brooklyn, who have started the season without the services of Kyrie Irving.

– ‘It wasn’t good’ –

LeBron James (right) and Golden State’s Stephen Curry go head-to-head at the Staples Center © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP / KEVORK DJANSEZIAN

The Nets have left Irving out of the line-up for the foreseeable future because of his refusal to take the Covid-19 vaccine, which makes him ineligible for home games in New York due to city laws.

In Irving’s absence, Kevin Durant led the Brooklyn scorers with 32 points while James Harden had 20. New signing Patty Mills added 21 — making seven-from-seven from three-point range — while Nic Claxton had 12 points.

“It wasn’t good obviously,” Nets coach Steve Nash said. “We weren’t as sharp as we needed to be, we weren’t as physical as we needed to be, we weren’t as organised as we needed to be.

“We just didn’t play well tonight.”

In Tuesday’s other season-opener, the new-look Los Angeles Lakers suffered a humbling 121-114 loss to the Warriors at the Staples Center.

James led the Lakers scorers with 34 points while Anthony Davis chimed in with 33.

But the Lakers stars were the only two Los Angeles players to make double figures, while blockbuster new signing Russell Westbrook was restricted to eight points, five rebounds and four assists.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Instead it was the Warriors who looked the more cohesive unit, with Stephen Curry leading the way with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists — Curry’s first triple-double since 2016.

“This is a good feeling,” Curry said. “We had a lot of excitement coming into this season — a new cast of characters mixed with our core.

“We weathered the storm tonight. I played like trash — shot the ball terribly — but if we can win a game like that where we just stuck with it defensively, it’s a good omen for us.”

Six Warriors players made double figures, with Jordan Poole just behind Curry with 20 points.

The Lakers led 59-53 at half-time but were blown away by the Warriors after the break.

Lakers coach Frank Vogel said his team remained a work in progress but was heartened by the scoring of James and Davis.

“Those two guys were spectacular,” Vogel said. “We’re going to be pretty good if we get those type of performances. We just have to be better defensively.

“This is a team which is all new to each other. Everyone is finding their way a little bit, and each day they’re getting a little bit better.”

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.
Advertisement

More on Capital Sports

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 27 – DStv and GOtv subscribers are in for a treat of the world’s best football this week as the 2020-21...

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 25 – There is light at the end of the tunnel. After failed promises over the last three years since its...

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 6 – Gentrix Shikangwa scored with two minutes left as Vihiga Queens sailed to the final of the CECAFA regional qualifiers...

NFL

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 13 – Kenya’s history making Daniel Adongo, the first Kenyan to play in America’s National Football League (NFL), is now living...

© 2024 Capital Digital Media. Capital Group Limited. All Rights Reserved