BROOK LOPEZ

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 points, Jrue Holiday added 25 and Khris Middleton 22 as the Milwaukee Bucks extended their winning streak to five games with a 136-118 victory over the Orlando Magic.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 28 points, Bobby Portis scored 17 of his 19 points in the first half and the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Orlando Magic 127-110 on Tuesday night.

MILWAUKEE — (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez has undergone surgery to address the back injury that has kept him from playing since the opening game of the season. The Bucks announced Thursday that Lopez had back surgery earlier that day in Los Angeles. The 33-year-old center is in his fourth season with the Bucks and 14th season overall. He averaged 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks last season while helping the Bucks win the NBA title. Bucks officials said Robert Watkins performed the surgery, with oversight from team doctor William Raasch.

Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez has undergone surgery to address the back injury that has kept him from playing since the opening game of the season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 47 points and Khris Middleton tied Milwaukee’s franchise record for career 3-pointers in the Bucks’ 109-102 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.

Dennis Schröder scored eight of his season-high 38 points in overtime and the Boston Celtics took advantage of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 122-113.

Julius Randle had 32 points and 12 rebounds, and the New York Knicks erased an early 21-point deficit and routed the Milwaukee Bucks 113-98.

The Milwaukee Bucks haven’t been quite themselves as they’ve opened their NBA title defense.

Tyler Herro scored 27 points in 24 minutes off the bench, Jimmy Butler added 21 and the Miami Heat opened their season with an easy 137-95 victory over the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night.

The Bucks are on the verge of making history as Milwaukee's first NBA champion since 1971.

Giannis Antetokounmpo pointed to a pair of scratches, one on his forehead and the other on his cheek.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and his bum left knee bulldozed through the Phoenix Suns defense for most of Game 2, once again giving the Milwaukee Bucks more than they could have dreamed in these NBA Finals.

NBA Finals Bucks Suns Basketball Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton (22) shoots against Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11) during the second half of Game 2 of basketball's NBA Finals, Thursday, July 8, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) (Matt York)PHOENIX — (AP) — The Phoenix Suns have never been closer to an NBA title. Devin Booker scored 31 points, Chris Paul had 23 and the Suns beat the Milwaukee Bucks 118-108 on Thursday night to take a 2-0 series lead. The Suns never even had a lead in the NBA Finals until their 118-105 victory in Game 1. They've already got two this time and will go after a third Sunday in Milwaukee, which will host the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974.

At their best, the Phoenix Suns have three players who can take over a game.

Phoenix Suns forward Dario Saric has a torn ACL in his right knee that he suffered during the first quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night.

Hawks Bucks Basketball Milwaukee Bucks' Bobby Portis (9) reacts after dunking during the first half of Game 5 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals against the Atlanta Hawks Thursday, July 1, 2021, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash) (Aaron Gash)MILWAUKEE — (AP) — Brook Lopez scored a playoff career-high 33 points and the Milwaukee Bucks withstood Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence to beat the Atlanta Hawks 123-112 on Thursday night for a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference finals. The Bucks are one win away from reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974. Four of their starters had at least 22 points: Lopez, Khris Middleton (26), Jrue Holiday (25) and Bobby Portis (22). Bucks: During his pregame availability, Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer offered no update on when Antetokounmpo might be able to return.

Brook Lopez scored a playoff career-high 33 points and the Milwaukee Bucks withstood Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence and beat the Atlanta Hawks 123-112 on Thursday to regain the lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

The Atlanta Hawks are dealing with another injury that could affect their preparations for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 25 points, Jrue Holiday added 22 and the Milwaukee Bucks blew out the Atlanta Hawks 125-91 to even the Eastern Conference finals at a game apiece.

There's more than a berth in the NBA Finals for the winner of the improbable matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks-Atlanta Hawks.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 34 points and the Milwaukee Bucks rolled to a 107-96 Game 4 victory on Sunday to tie their second-round playoff series with the Brooklyn Nets.

James Harden won’t be back for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Kevin Durant scored 29 points, Kyrie Irving had 25 and the two superstars carried the Brooklyn Nets after James Harden’s early injury in a 115-107 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Milwaukee’s roster transformation started after losing to Miami in last season’s NBA playoffs, one that made the Bucks give themselves a critical look.

Turns out, there was a reason the Milwaukee Bucks weren’t worried about a playoff rematch with the Miami Heat in Round 1 this year.

Milwaukee guard Donte DiVincenzo’s season is over.

The Milwaukee Bucks are a win away from a sweep of the Miami Heat and a berth in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Khris Middleton broke a tie with a jumper with 0.5 seconds left in overtime and had 27 points to help the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Miami Heat 109-107 Saturday in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series.

USA Basketball is a step closer to choosing the team that will play in this summer’s rescheduled Tokyo Olympics, releasing the names Thursday of 57 players who are part of the pool to fill the squad. It’s also already drawing major interest from some NBA stars who have yet to taste Olympic gold. USA Basketball will pare the list to a 12-person Olympic team by early summer. Jordan, who now plays for Brooklyn, is also a newcomer to the pool even though he was on the 2016 Olympic team. “But for USA Basketball to receive the commitment of so many outstanding players remains an indicator of the great honor of representing your country means to these men.”

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the LA Clippers Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)MILWAUKEE – Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks showed they can still rally in the fourth quarter to win games with their defense. Antetokounmpo scored 36 points and sparked a game-closing 9-0 run as the Bucks rallied to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 105-100 on Sunday for their fifth consecutive victory. The Bucks generally haven’t performed quite as well on defense this season but stifled the Clippers down the stretch. Bucks: Antetokounmpo has scored at least 35 points in four straight games, making him the first Bucks player to accomplish that feat since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from Jan. 6-14, 1973.

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) pulls down a rebound as Milwaukee Bucks guard D.J. Augustin, rear, looks on in the second half during an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 12, 2021, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)SALT LAKE CITY – Rudy Gobert had 27 points and 12 rebounds, and the Utah Jazz beat the Milwaukee Bucks 129-115 on Friday night for their sixth straight victory. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 27 of his 29 points in the second half, but Milwaukee dropped its second straight game after a five-game win streak. The Jazz packed the paint all game on defense and picked up two defensive 3-second violations along the way.

Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) shoots over Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 18, 2021, in New York. They are 2-0 since last week's acquisition of Harden, who is averaging 33 points in his new uniform. Harden had 11 points at halftime following his 32-point Nets debut, when he added 14 assists and 12 rebounds. ... Durant was chosen as Eastern Conference player of the week after averaging 34 points, 5.3 rebounds and 8.0 assists in Brooklyn’s 3-0 week. The Bucks host the NBA champion Lakers on Thursday, two nights before the Nets open a two-game series at home against Miami.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, bottom, and Miami Heat forward Precious Achiuwa go for a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)MIAMI – The Miami Heat engineered a 58-point turnaround against the Milwaukee Bucks in 24 hours. Milwaukee’s lead was 72-58 early in the second half, 84-73 with 3:44 left in the third. Milwaukee had 21 points after four minutes Tuesday; the Bucks were held to four in the first four minutes Wednesday. Miami finished 2020 at 36-29 (22-22 regular season, 14-7 playoffs).

Butler and Goran Dragic each scored 17 points for the Heat, who won the series 4-1 and will face either Boston or Toronto when the NBAs final four gets underway next week. It's Miami's first time in the East finals since 2014, and the first time Butler has gotten to the NBA's final four. Jae Crowder scored 16, Tyler Herro scored 14, Bam Adebayo had 13 and Kelly Olynyk had 12 apiece for the Heat. Donte DiVincenzo scored 17, Wesley Matthews and Marvin Williams each had 11 and Eric Bledsoe had nine assists for the Bucks. UP NEXTHeat: Game 1 of the East finals vs. Toronto or Boston, TBD.

Even with Giannis Antetokounmpo missing most of the game with a sprained right ankle, the Bucks extended their season to a Game 5 on Tuesday. The Heat gave up 12 straight points in the final period Sunday, wasting what was an eight-point lead in a closeout game. Antetokounmpo scored 19 points for the Bucks in only 11 minutes, while Brook Lopez and George Hill each had 14 for Milwaukee. TIP-INSBucks: Milwaukee missed 19 consecutive 3-pointers its last 12 of Game 3 and first seven of Game 4 before Antetokounmpo connected late in the first quarter. Heat: Miami was looking to become the first No.

The Heat outscored Milwaukee 40-13 in the fourth quarter the biggest such final-quarter margin in NBA playoff history to take a 3-0 series lead. Adebayo had 20 points and 16 rebounds, and Jae Crowder had 17 points to help the Heat improve to 7-0 in this postseason. Butler had 17 of his points in the fourth, and the Heat pulled off their biggest fourth-quarter playoff comeback ever. Butler had the next nine Miami points as the Heat went back on top, and he set Adebayo up for a short basket with 4:20 remaining to restore a 100-99 lead. ...GIANNIS 1KA dunk in the fourth quarter gave Antetokounmpo 19 points on the night and 1,000 in his 42-game playoff career.

This was just a free throw, no time on the clock, nobody else from the Miami Heat or Milwaukee Bucks standing along the lane. That got Milwaukee within two, and Butler made one free throw with 7.7 seconds left to get the lead back to three. Bam Adebayo scored 15 points, Butler and Duncan Robinson each had 13 and Kelly Olynyk added 11 for Miami which is 6-0 in this postseason. Middleton scored 23 points for Milwaukee, which got 16 apiece from Lopez and Eric Bledsoe and 14 from George Hill. FOULING ON 3SThe Heat fouled the Bucks five times on 3-point tries in the game, including twice against Lopez in a 26-second span of the first quarter.

Milwaukee Bucks' Khris Middleton (22) goes down during the second half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game against the Miami Heat Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Having the NBA's best record during the regular season shows the obvious potential of the Milwaukee Bucks. They are now, facing a pivotal Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the rolling Miami Heat on Friday night. We're not focused on anything after Game 3," Bucks center Brook Lopez said. We're not looking back on anything from Game 2 or Game 1.

I felt like I took it up a level in the fourth quarter," Butler said. Bam Adebayo had 12 points, 17 rebounds and six assists for the fifth-seeded Heat, who are 3-1 overall against the top-seeded Bucks this season. Khris Middleton scored 28 points for Milwaukee, which also dropped Game 1 of its first-round series against Orlando. Kyle Korver added 11 for the Bucks, who scored 40 points on the way to an 11-point lead after the first quarter then managed 64 the rest of the way. Bucks: Milwaukee is now 20-32 in Game 1s.

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal matchup between the top-seeded Bucks and fifth-seeded Heat is Monday night in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Milwaukee needed five games to dispatch Orlando in a series that ended Saturday; the Heat swept Indiana in the first round. Were not reinventing the whole wheel on how we prepare for a game, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. Its going to be a great series, Bucks center Brook Lopez said. REGULAR-SEASON SERIESMiami won the season series 2-1.

Williams scored all 12 of his points on 3-pointers, and Brook Lopez added 16 points for Milwaukee, which won four straight after dropping the opener. Nicola Vucevic had 22 points and 15 rebounds for Orlando, while Evan Fournier added 18 points. Middleton followed with a fade from the top of the key, Williams added another 3 and Middleton's free throw pushed the Bucks' lead back to 105-93 with 5:24 left. Orlando stayed close into the second quarter and was within six points when Marvin Williams 3 began a 23-12 Bucks run to end the half. Bucks: Outscored Orlando in the paint, 42-32 and finished with 16 3s on 45 attempts.

(AP Photo/Ashley Landis, Pool)It was only a week ago when the sky was falling on the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers. The Bucks lead the Orlando Magic 3-1; the Lakers lead the Portland Trail Blazers 3-1. The bottom line is weve come out and competed so much harder.The wake-up call helped the Lakers as well. James teams went 5-5 in his first 10 series-clinching opportunities; theyre 30-5 in those situations since. NEED TO KNOW: If the Bucks win, the Eastern Conference first round would be completed in just 17 games.

But right now it's more hurting the teams that should be playing in front of rowdy fans, not virtual ones. With Domantas Sabonis lost to injury, the Pacers need Turner to do even more on the inside to pick up the slack. Game 2, 9 p.m. ESPN NEED TO KNOW: These teams are seeded No. 8 based on what they did over the entire season, but there is no such difference in the bubble. Vogel said he believes in adjusting when necessary and may decide the Lakers need more speed on the floor and go smaller.

Terrence Ross scored 18 points, Gary Clark added 15 and D.J. Augustin had 11 points and 11 assists for the eighth-seeded Magic, who took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 31 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists for Milwaukee, but was held without a field goal over the final 11 minutes. The Bucks came into the postseason as the favorites to win their first NBA title since 1971 despite finishing 3-5 in seeding games. But their sluggish play in the NBA bubble at Disney World carried over into the postseason.

8 team two straight times to advance to face the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for a second straight season. The Grizzlies were eighth in the West with a 3 -game lead over the rest of the pack when they arrived at Florida. TIP-INSBucks: Starting guard Wesley Matthews missed a second straight game with a sore right adductor. UP NEXTThe Bucks will face the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs.

Brook Lopez scored a season-high 34 points for the Bucks, who have already clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Doncic's final assist was a between-the-legs pass to Maxi Kleber for a three-point play and a 133-128 lead. The foul that sent Doncic to the line was originally called as the sixth on Antetokounmpo. Middleton's three-point play with 1.9 seconds left in the half put Milwaukee up 71-62. Mavericks: Play Utah on Monday.

Scoring numbers are soaring inside the NBAs bubble, where the restarted season is happening at Walt Disney World. Games on average have seen nine points more than what had been the norm this season. There was a six-game NBA schedule on Feb. 21, 1988, and all the teams playing that night scored at least 110 points. That hadnt happened, on a day of five or more games, again in the NBA until July 31 the second day of bubble games. And the fact that, you know, the skill sets of NBA players are increasing exponentially by the month.

Scoring numbers are soaring inside the NBAs bubble, where the restarted season is happening at Walt Disney World. There was a six-game NBA schedule on Feb. 21, 1988, and all the teams playing that night scored at least 110 points. That hadnt happened, on a day of five or more games, again in the NBA until July 31 the second day of bubble games. If you can make shots, you can make shots.Carlisle has another theory or explanation that cant be argued: Wherever they are, bubble or no bubble, pandemic or no pandemic, NBA players in this era can score from practically anywhere. And the fact that, you know, the skill sets of NBA players are increasing exponentially by the month.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 16 points playing only the first half for Milwaukee, which has lost two of three seeding games. Kyle Korver scored 13 points, and Ersan Ilyasova had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Chiozza scored on a reverse layup, then Luwawu-Cabarrot hit a 3 with 2:59 left to put the Nets ahead to stay. Milwaukee appeared ready to clinch from the opening tip as the Bucks scored eight of the first 10 points and hit 7 of 14 beyond the arc. Bucks: G Wesley Matthews sat out with a sore right calf with starting center Brook Lopez also out.

It was the 36th straight game with at least 20 points for Westbrook, who led Houston's offense on a night James Harden scored 24. So, I think a lot of tonights on me.Giannis Antetokounmpo had 36 points, 18 rebounds and eight assists for Milwaukee. But Houston scored the next nine points, highlighted by a 3 and a steal from P.J. Westbrook made two free throws before a shot by Antetokounmpo left Milwaukee up 116-115 with 16.5 seconds remaining. The Rockets were up by two after a basket by Westbrook with about 1 minutes left in the third quarter.

A replay overturned what would have been the NBA's MVP sixth foul with 1:28 left and he made the most of his second chance, helping the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Boston Celtics 119-112 on Friday night. Antetokounmpo had 36 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists in the Bucks first game in the restart. I felt like he was moving on the last play but either way if it was a charge, if it was not a charge, Im happy that we got the win and Ill learn from the play, Antetokounmpo said. Smart scored 23 points for the Celtics and Jaylen Brown had 22, but star forward Jayson Tatum had a nightmarish restart. Bucks: Play Houston on Sunday.

8 seed in the Western Conference Memphis, Portland, New Orleans, Sacramento, San Antonio and Phoenix. The other games: Sacramento vs. San Antonio, Memphis vs. San Antonio and Portland vs. Memphis. The Grizzlies start with a 3 1/2-game lead over Portland, New Orleans and Sacramento, along with a four-game edge on San Antonio. The Bucks were 22-0 against those eight teams one of three NBA teams to go unbeaten against that group. NBA teams have combined for 23,560 3-pointers made so far this season, which is already the fourth-most of any season in league history.

8 seed in the Western Conference Memphis, Portland, New Orleans, Sacramento, San Antonio and Phoenix. The other games: Sacramento vs. San Antonio, Memphis vs. San Antonio and Portland vs. Memphis. The Grizzlies start with a 3 1/2-game lead over Portland, New Orleans and Sacramento, along with a four-game edge on San Antonio. The Bucks were 22-0 against those eight teams one of three NBA teams to go unbeaten against that group. NBA teams have combined for 23,560 3-pointers made so far this season, which is already the fourth-most of any season in league history.