Bucks rely on Giannis, stop Nets

Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a season-high 49 points in his return from an injury as the Milwaukee Bucks overcame Kevin Durant’s 42-point performance to beat the Brooklyn Nets, 117-114, on Sunday.

Two-time reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo, who had been dealing with a sprained right ankle, outdueled Durant in the Eastern Conference clash between the two highest-scoring teams in the league.

Antetokounmpo finished just three points short of his career high, which he set two years ago against Philadelphia.

“Tonight that picture I created, that’s who I want to be moving forward,” said Antetokounmpo.

Antetokounmpo shot 21-of-36 from the floor and added eight rebounds while teammate Khris Middleton finished with a double-double of 26 points and 11 rebounds.

Durant equaled a season-high 42 and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Eastern Conference-leading Nets, who are trying to hang onto first place during the final stretch of the regular season.

Elsewhere, Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry combined for 76 points as the Toronto Raptors kept their playoff hopes alive with a 121-114 win over the struggling Los Angeles Lakers, who saw superstar LeBron James exit in the fourth quarter.

Siakam finished with a season-high 39 points and 13 rebounds and Lowry delivered 37 points and 11 assists.

The Lakers have lost six of their last seven and are learning that the insertion of James back into the lineup isn’t going to be a cure-all.

James shot six-of-11 from the floor and finished with 19 points in 28 minutes but the 36-year-old also had five turnovers in just his second game back after missing 20 with a right ankle injury he suffered on March 20.

James left Sunday’s game halfway through the fourth quarter and did not return.