© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The short-handed Milwaukee Bucks end road trip with a loss to the Phoenix Suns
On Tuesday night, the undermanned Milwaukee Bucks concluded their five-game road trip with a 106-114 loss to the Phoenix Suns.
Milwaukee finished the road trip 1-4, which is also the team’s record under new coach Doc Rivers. It was Milwaukee’s second-straight defeat as it fell to 33-18 in the season.
Milwaukee’s manpower woes
The Bucks played without starters Brook Lopez (personal) and Damian Lillard (ankle), and their lineup was further decimated when Khris Middleton left in the first quarter due to an ankle injury.
Khris twisted his ankle when he landed on Kevin Durant’s foot after attempting a jumper. Durant was eventually assessed with a Flagrant one after officials judged that he didn’t give Middleton enough space to land.
Middleton had played eight minutes and scored six points when he left the contest. Rivers said the X-rays were negative.
Suns pulled away in the 2nd half
Despite the workforce woes, the Bucks still ended the first quarter with a 23-22 lead and maintained a one-point cushion at the half, 49-48. Durant opened the third quarter with a jumper, and after Giannis Antetokounmpo made two free throws, Devin Booker hit a three-pointer that gave the Suns the lead for good, 53-51.
The Suns ended the third with a 79-73 and were never threatened in the payoff period, where they led by as many as 15 points on the way to securing their second straight to improve to 30-21.
Antetokounmpo shot 13-for-24 from the field and led Milwaukee with 34 points. He also had ten rebounds and six assists. Malik Beasley added 22 points but shot just 6-for-14 from three-point range and 7-for-17 overall.
Booker paced the Suns with 32 points, while Durant added 28.
